Punjab Tops PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024, Leading National Learning Outcome Rankings.
National
In early July 2025, Punjab emerged as the leading state nationwide in the PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024 report, showcasing outstanding student performance across foundational, preparatory, and middle stages of schooling. This comes as part of India’s largest-ever competency-based learning assessment under the National Education Policy 2020.
- Punjab achieved a remarkable score of 80 in Class 3 assessments, surpassing Himachal Pradesh (74) and Kerala (73), and secured the top position nationally. For Class 6, Punjab joined Kerala at the top with 67 marks, while in Class 9, it led once again with 57 marks—the highest score across all states and UTs.
- The PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan is a robust, system-level survey conducted by NCERT in December 2024, encompassing over 21 lakh students from Grades 3, 6, and 9 across 74,229 schools in 781 districts nationwide. It marked a shift from previous NAS assessments by aligning with NEP 2020’s focus on stage‑wise foundational learning.
Main Point :- (i) Punjab’s education minister Harjot Singh Bains publicly credited this success to sustained quality education reforms by the Mann-led state government, including improved teacher training, resource allocation, and student mentoring. The state also saw 845 government school students qualify NEET and 265 clear JEE Main, indicating broader academic excellence.
(ii) Despite Punjab’s exemplary results, the PARAKH report signals caution: it noted a decline in average performance from Class 3 to Class 9 across India, with only a 60 percent average in early grades dropping to 37 percent by Class 9 in mathematics. Persistent gaps were also noted among students from SC/ST communities and those in state-run schools.
(iii) Going forward, PARAKH recommends data-driven, district-level interventions, emphasizing the need for strengthening foundational learning via NIPUN Bharat, targeted support for lagging student groups, and localized educational planning. Punjab’s leading performance is expected to serve as a blueprint for fellow states pursuing holistic learning outcomes.
About Punjab
Capital: Chandigarh
Chief minister: Bhagwant Mann
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