The Indian states that emerged at the top on the Educational Development Index (EDI) include Kerala, Delhi and Tamil Nadu followed by Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka. The EDI has been prepared by the National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA) to assess progress of States and Union Territories towards Universal Elementary Education at primary and upper primary levels. The EDI report card has been set on the basis of achievements made by the different states with respect to adult literacy rate, total primary net enrolment ratio and student survival rate to grade-V.

The states that did not fair too well on the EDI include Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Orissa. All these states have been placed much below in the EDI ranking. Among them Bihar needs the maximum improvement in its elementary education system. This state’s drop out rate is 9.34 per cent at primary level and repetition rate as high as 11.13 per cent.