Scaling the height of EDI
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: December 07, 2013 -

In a welcome development, Manipur has moved up from 24th position to the 9th place in the latest educational development index (EDI) of the country.

This is indeed a great achievement for a State like Manipur, whose ailing education system and frequent disruption to academic atmosphere has always been a cause of concern for many and a topic of discussion and debate at various forums.

According to the flash report on the District Information System for Education (DISE), 2012-13 prepared by the National University of Education Planning and Administration (NEUPA), the position of Manipur in the EDI of the country has gone up to the 9th place, which is a great leap from its earlier ranking at 24th place.

This is a position far ahead of other bigger and developed States like Kerala, which has slipped down seven places from 7th to 14th; Uttar Pradesh, which is now ranked at 34th, two places down from the previous ranking; West Bengal at 31, also down two places and Delhi which has slipped down to 11th position from the previous ranking at 6th place.

Among the northeastern States as well, Sikkim is the only State perching atop the 4th place that could give some complex to Manipur.

Even Mizoram, which has been hailed not only as the most peaceful State in the region but also a forerunner in the literary chart, falls short behind Manipur one place at 10th position even though it has managed to come up from its earlier ranking at 19th.

As many as 1.5 million schools imparting school education have been reportedly covered for the study and data collected from 662 districts spread over 35 States of the country for preparing the report funded by the Ministry of Human Resource Development.

The main purpose of the survey is to track the progress of the States towards realisation of Universal Elementary Education (UEE), for primary and upper primary level as well as for a composite look at the prevailing scenario of elementary education in these States. Looking at the four broad parameters, namely accessibility, available infrastructure, teachers and outcomes, on which the study has been based, there may be lot of rooms for questioning over the elevated position of Manipur in the EDI of the country.

However, considering the fact that EDI is only an exercise to encourage the States to improve their performance in the education sector with an eye on helping more effective targeting in connection with implementation of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) to the most needy districts, the State Education Department and more particularly Education Minister M Okendro Singh, who has been on a mission to bring about a visible change in the education scenario of the State, surely deserves a pat on the back. But this moment of exultation should not be confused with a time for celebration, because Manipur has still a long way to go from realising its goal of universalisation of education, particularly with regards to provision, enrolment, retention, participation and achievement.