Pune: An extensive two-stage evaluation process conducted by State Council of Educational Research and Training Maharashtra (SCERT) has marked 429 schools across the state with an A+ grade under the School Quality Assessment and Assurance Framework (SQAAF).
Pune district leads the state with 79 schools earning the A+ grade, the highest. Mumbai follows with 46 schools, while Sangli has 26 and Kolhapur 20. Nagpur recorded 19 schools in the top category, Solapur 18 and Satara 17.
The evaluation was carried out in accordance with government resolutions on March 15, 2024, and Jan 28, 2025, establishing the State School Standards Authority (SSSA) and implementing the SQAAF framework across all schools.
An SSSA cell was set up at SCERT, Pune to institutionalise quality benchmarks. The framework applies to schools of all mediums and all managements.
The process began in the academic year 2024–25 with an online self-evaluation phase. Schools had to submit their assessments through the SQAAF portal on SCERT’s official website. A dedicated link was provided to facilitate digital submission of data.
In 2024-25, as many as 1,02,675 schools completed the self-evaluation process online. Based on the highest scores in this phase, 10,712 schools were shortlisted for external evaluation by third-party assessors in 2025–26. Of these, 10,644 schools completed the assessment process. The state has released the list of all 429 A+ grade schools.
As per the GRs, schools that underwent external evaluation have to prominently display their grade on the school’s façade or letterhead. Accordingly, schools that completed external evaluation in 2025–26 must mention their awarded grade on the official materials.
SCERT director Hemant Veskare said, “All teachers, students, parents, school management committees, school management and development committees, headmasters, cluster heads, education extension officers and group education officers who contributed to achieving the A+ grade deserve a pat.”
Schools securing the top grade are expected to continue improving their quality standards and guide other schools in enhancing overall educational outcomes.
The initiative aims to create a uniform and measurable quality assurance system across Maharashtra’s school education sector, strengthening accountability and continuous improvement.
Graphic In The Regions
In Marathwada, 16 schools each from Dharashiv and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar received the top grade
Jalna has 11 such schools, Beed 12, Latur 7 and Nanded 2
In Vidarbha, Amravati has six A+ grade schools, Akola 7, Yavatmal 6, Wardha 4, Buldhana 3 and Chandrapur 5
Bhandara and Gadchiroli districts have one school each in the top category
From North Maharashtra, Jalgaon has nine schools, Nashik 7 and Nandurbar 4 that have secured the top grade
In Konkan region, Raigad has 9 schools, Ratnagiri 10, Palghar 11 and Thane 16 in the top bracket
