Shimla: Himachal Pradesh’s leap from 13th to 6th rank in the national Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2.0 has turned into a major endorsement of the state government’s education reforms, with Education Minister Rohit Thakur drawing widespread praise for steering the sector towards quality-driven schooling.
The rankings released by the Union Ministry of Education placed Himachal in the prestigious ‘Prachesta-2’ category, while the hill state also secured the third position among all states in school education performance — a sharp turnaround that the Congress government is projecting as proof of its reform-oriented approach.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu credited the achievement to teachers, students and the Education Department, saying the state had shifted its focus from merely opening institutions to improving learning outcomes, teacher training and infrastructure.
The achievement has also strengthened the political standing of Education Minister Rohit Thakur, whose department has aggressively pushed reforms over the past three years.
From introducing English-medium education from Class 1 in government schools to expanding CBSE affiliation and launching Rajiv Gandhi Day-Boarding Schools, the ministry has attempted to modernize government education in rural and urban areas alike.
Officials say one of the biggest changes has been the government’s push to ensure quality teaching rather than simply increasing the number of institutions.
The state has also prioritized filling vacant teaching posts, streamlining school resources and introducing international exposure visits for teachers to study global education practices.
The government’s decision to affiliate 156 schools with the CBSE curriculum and provide Arts, Science and Commerce streams under one framework is being seen as another key step in reducing the gap between private and government schooling in Himachal.
The Congress government has repeatedly accused the previous BJP regime of opening schools without adequate staff or budgetary support, arguing that the lack of planning had weakened the education system. The present administration claims its reforms are aimed at ensuring students from remote villages receive the same opportunities as those in urban centres.
With the PGI rankings now placing Himachal among the country’s better-performing states in school education, the Sukhu government is expected to further intensify its focus on education ahead of future political battles, projecting the sector as one of its biggest governance success stories.
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