1.
Research Question:
How do Indian states and Union Territories compare in terms of educational
infrastructure between 2014–2017 and 2018–2022, and what are the key factors
driving these differences?
Motivation:
● Despite decades of policy efforts (e.g., Education Commission 1964-66, NEP 2020),
equitable access to quality education remains uneven.
● There are major inter-state disparities in education infrastructure, affecting learning
outcomes.
● This report introduces a composite index (EII) to benchmark and compare educational
infrastructure across states/UTs
2. Region/Focus Area
The focus is pan-India, but comparisons and rankings are made state-wise and for
Union Territories.
● States Ranked: Kerala, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, etc.
● UTs Ranked: Delhi, Chandigarh, Puducherry, etc.
Analysis is broken into two periods:
● 2014–2017 (22 indicators)
● 2018–2022 (28 indicators)
3. Key Data for Dashboard
State-wise Ranking Table:
● Kerala ranks highest (Final Score: 0.6300), followed by Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh.
● Bihar, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya rank lowest.
Indicators Used (selected):
● Adjusted Net Enrollment Rate
● Dropout Rate
● Gender Parity Index (GPI)
● Schools with toilets, libraries, internet, electricity
● Education spending as % of GSDP
● Pupil-teacher ratio
Visualization Ideas:
● Bar charts for ranking comparison
● Heatmaps for domain scores (already shown in the report)
● Radar/spider charts for subdomain performance of top states
● Time-series line graphs for index progression
Sources: UDISE+, ASER, AISHE, PGI 2.0, NAS, etc.
4. Analysis and Ideas
Here are some additional angles the report covers or allows you to explore:
● Correlation Analysis between dropout rates and infrastructure availability
● PCA (Principal Component Analysis) applied to consolidate 28 indicators into 7
principal components
● Comparative governance analysis — Gujarat leads in governance domain, Delhi in
access, Kerala in outcomes
● Impact of Education Spending — Kerala ranks 1st despite below-average % of GSDP
spending
● Policy Impact Check — Evaluate NEP 2020 effectiveness through PGI and SEQI metrics
5. Excel Analysis Techniques Used
Here are the key analytical methods used in the study that you can replicate in Excel:
● PCA (Principal Component Analysis):
○ Used for dimensionality reduction and grouping correlated indicators
○ KMO & Bartlett’s tests used to verify data adequacy
● Weighting System:
○ Infrastructure (40%), Attainment Ratios (30%), Governance (30%)
○ Subdomains also weighted (e.g., toilets, roads, PTR, etc.)
● Normalization:
○ Min-max normalization used for standardizing indicator scores
● Trend Analysis:
○ State-wise trend over 9 years shown in inferences section
Tools that can be used:
● Pivot Tables
● Conditional formatting for heatmaps
● Stacked bar/line charts
● Excel Data Analysis Toolpak for regression/correlation
● Power Query if combining datasets
6. Write-up
Bridging the Gap: Analyzing India’s Education Infrastructure Through EII
Introduction
India’s education sector is vast, diverse, and layered with historical challenges and evolving
opportunities. Despite the constitutional promise of free and compulsory education, many
children still lack access to basic infrastructure. This study introduces the Education
Infrastructure Index (EII), developed to evaluate the adequacy and accessibility of education
infrastructure across Indian states and Union Territories (UTs) over two periods: 2014–2017
and 2018–2022. With data from UDISE+, ASER, PGI 2.0, and AISHE, the index offers a
structured lens into disparities, progress, and policy effectiveness.
Methodology
The EII was built using 28 indicators categorized into three primary domains—Attainment
Ratios, Infrastructure, and Management & Governance. Data was normalized using the min-
max technique, and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was applied to reduce dimensionality
and identify key underlying factors. Indicators were weighted based on their relative
contribution to educational outcomes, with infrastructure receiving 40% weight, and the other
two domains receiving 30% each.
Key Insights
1. Kerala emerged as the top-ranked state with strong performance across domains,
especially in infrastructure.
2. Delhi led among Union Territories, reflecting high performance in access, inclusivity, and
digital readiness.
3. States such as Bihar, Nagaland, and Meghalaya continued to lag due to infrastructural
deficits and governance inefficiencies.
4. The role of inclusivity (measured via GPI and minority enrollment) and basic amenities
(like functional toilets, hand wash, electricity) proved critical in pushing scores higher.
5. Technology access, though important, showed limited returns in the absence of
foundational amenities.
State-Level Observations
Kerala, despite lower education expenditure as a share of GSDP, ranked highest due to its
exceptional infrastructure, digital readiness, and inclusive governance. Chhattisgarh made
notable progress post-COVID, while Maharashtra showed fluctuation yet rebounded in 2022.
On the other hand, Punjab’s decline from 1st to 11th in one year highlights how overemphasis
on a single domain (infrastructure) without complementary governance or attainment focus
can lead to setbacks.
Policy Recommendations
1. Increase focus on foundational infrastructure—electricity, water, toilets, and roads must be
prioritized in lagging states.
2. Governance mechanisms should include community-level accountability, timely fund
utilization, and real-time monitoring tools.
3. States must not only increase but also rationalize expenditure with outcome-focused
spending aligned with NEP 2020.
4. Invest in low-cost digital tools only after achieving a baseline of physical infrastructure.
5. Promote inter-state collaborations where high-performing states mentor underperformers
in specific domains.
Conclusion
The Education Infrastructure Index serves as a mirror to India’s education ecosystem. It
reflects both success stories and systemic gaps. To transform education delivery at scale,
India must embrace data-driven, inclusive, and equitable policy design. The vision of
universal education cannot be fulfilled without consistent and comprehensive improvements
in infrastructure, governance, and student support systems. With deliberate reforms,
coordinated implementation, and community ownership, India can not only bridge the gap but
also lead as a global benchmark in equitable education.
References
- Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE+)
- All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE)
- Annual Status of Education Report (ASER 2022)
- Performance Grading Index (PGI 2.0)
- School Education Quality Index (SEQI)
