Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Shillong: Meghalaya has finally escaped the bottom of the national education rankings. The state climbed from the Akanshi-3 to the Akanshi-1 category in the latest Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2.0 report for 2025-26. Its score jumped from 448 in the 2024-25 assessment to 525.71, an overall increase of more than 124 points over the past three years.
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma attributed this progress to eight years of reform, specifically citing the Structured Pay Framework for teachers, school rationalisation, and the Chief Minister’s IMPACT programme. Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui confirmed the state’s commitment to improving learning outcomes and governance. The state’s governance score alone spiked from 40.5 to 85.6 between cycles.
Despite the administrative wins, the classroom reality remains bleak. A new NITI Aayog report revealed that 74 government schools currently have zero students enrolled, yet 152 teachers are still posted at these sites. Another 1,414 single-teacher schools continue to serve nearly 49,807 students, often forcing one teacher to juggle multiple grades and administrative duties.
Learning outcomes remain below national benchmarks. In the 2024 PARAKH Rashtriya Survekshan, Meghalaya students scored 47 per cent in Language, 29 per cent in Mathematics, 33 per cent in Science, and 34 per cent in Social Science, all trailing the national averages. The Meghalaya Pradesh Youth Congress has formally urged the government to address these disparities.
MPYC President Timjim K. Momin submitted a memorandum demanding structural overhauls, including scientific school mapping and the appointment of a dedicated teacher for every classroom. “These figures clearly show that although administrative indicators have improved, education in Meghalaya is still in the ICU,” Momin said.
The government maintains that its strategy is working. Officials highlighted infrastructure upgrades, including solar power installations, smart classrooms, and sanitary pad vending machines. While the state celebrates its rise in the PGI, the path to quality education requires more than just better reporting metrics.
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