Despite Chief Minister Narendra Modi singing paeans about his state's development model, Gujarat has slipped from ninth position to 18th in a latest educational index even as Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra have retained their ranks.
According to the District Information System for Education (DISE) flash report prepared by National University of Education Planning and Administration (NEUPA), Gujarat has slipped from 12th to 28th position in the primary level and from 8th to 14th rank in the upper primary level.
The composite ranking, taking both the performances in primary and upper primary levels, puts the state at the 18th position in the country, below neighbouring Maharashtra, which retained the 8th rank, and Tamil Nadu, which remains at the third place.
Though Gujarat fared well in various indicators, officials said other states matched equally well.
During 2012-13, as many as 1.5 million schools imparting school education were covered for the study and data received from 662 districts spread over 35 states.
Kerala also slipped seven places from seven to 14 while Uttar Pradesh was ranked 34th, two places down from the previous ranking and West Bengal at 31, down two places. Delhi also slipped to 11th position from the 6th place recorded in the previous ranking.
The rankings reflects the achievements of the states in the education sector. Variety of indicators presented in the flash statistics revealed improvement in all the components of universal elementary education including average annual drop-out rate and retention at primary level of education.
It said more schools now have drinking water and toilet facility and other necessary infrastructure in school than in the previous year.
Lakshadweep took the pole position in the educational development index followed by Puducherry at the next place and Sikkim at the 4th place.
Sikkim along with other northeastern states registered good progress as compared to other parts of the country improving their rankings considerable as compared to previous year. Sikkim had secured the 12th position during 2011-12.
Manipur went up from 24 to the 9th place and Mizoram from 19th to 10th place.
