Chandigarh has retained its position as the top performer in school education among all states and Union territories in India for the fourth consecutive year, according to the Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2.0 report for 2025-26. The report was released by the Union Ministry of Education in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Highest Grade Achieved
The Union Territory is the only state or UT placed in the 'Uttam-3' category (61-70 per cent score) this year, the highest grade attained by any state or UT. No state or UT reached the 'Utkarsh', 'Uttam-1' or 'Uttam-2' bands. Punjab, Kerala, Delhi, and the UT of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu shared the second spot.
Improvement Over Previous Year
This grade marks an upward shift from last year, when Chandigarh scored 703 points to place in the 'Prachesta-1' band (51-60 per cent) in PGI 2023-24. The climb into 'Uttam-3' this year puts Chandigarh a full grade ahead of every other state and UT in the country.
Consistent Performance
The feat comes on the back of Chandigarh's hat-trick of PGI toppers in 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24, extending its run at the top to four straight years. The index benchmarks states and UTs on 70 indicators across Learning Outcomes, Access, Infrastructure, Equity, Governance and Teacher Training.
Official Reactions
Education Secretary Prerna Puri told The Tribune: "Four years running at the top, and this year climbing a full grade higher than every other state and UT, is not a coincidence, it is the result of sustained, systemic work across every department that touches a child's school life. This result tells us our investments in classroom transaction, teacher training and digital learning are translating into measurable gains. Our next task is to close the gap on learning outcomes and equity."
Punjab Governor-cum-UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria said: "For Chandigarh to stand alone at the top for the fourth year running, and to be the only one in the country to reach this grade, reflects the collective commitment of our teachers, officials and parents. It shows that when infrastructure, governance and classroom practice move together, results follow. My message to the department is simple -- do not settle; keep raising the bar."
District-Level Performance
At the district level, Chandigarh also features among the 19 top-performing districts nationally to reach the 'Uttam-2' grade in 2025-26, up from 16 districts last year. The list is led by seven districts from Punjab, four from Delhi, three from Kerala and two from Maharashtra, with Diu and Hamirpur (Himachal Pradesh) the only other non-state entries alongside Chandigarh.
National Trends
Nationally, districts in the 'Uttam-3' grade rose from 75 to 97, while those in the lower 'Prachesta-1' band fell from 332 to 325 — an overall improving trend even as Chandigarh continues to lead the field.
