Assessment of Educational Potentiality of Central and Southern States of India Using a New Composite Education Index (CEI)

Abstract

The present research was aimed to evaluate the educational potentiality of southern states of India using a new innovative Composite Education Index (CEI). An integrated seven step procedure was followed for the calculations of CEI. After preparing a composite hierarchical structure using two parameters, ten criteria and twelve indicators, the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and weighted sum technique were applied to get the CEI. The lowest category of CEI was marked with 20.573% area, the low category with 27.817% area, the moderate category with 20.771% area and the highest category were marked with 30.839% area of the study region. Further, the CEI was compared with School Education Quality Index (SEQI) and a high R-square value of 97.3% was obtained. Therefore, the CEI can be utilized to measure educational potentialities without hesitation. A large number of indicators are merged in this index, and it is flexible and easy to implement in any region.