As many as 429 schools across Maharashtra have secured the A+ grade under the School Quality Assessment and Assurance Framework (SQAAF) following a two-stage evaluation process conducted by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Maharashtra. Pune emerged as the top-performing district.
Pune recorded the highest number of A+ grade schools at 79, followed by Mumbai with 46. Sangli secured 26 A+ grades, while Kolhapur and Nagpur recorded 20 and 19 schools, respectively. The assessment covered schools across different mediums and management categories in the state.
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Maharashtra SQAAF Assessment 2026: Pune Tops State
Pune has emerged as the leading district in Maharashtra with 79 schools receiving the A+ grade under the SQAAF assessment. Mumbai followed with 46 schools in the top category.
Sangli secured the third position with 26 A+ schools, followed by Kolhapur with 20 and Nagpur with 19. Solapur recorded 18 A+ schools, while Satara had 17 schools in the top grade.
District-Wise A+ Grade Schools
| District | A+ Grade Schools |
|---|---|
| Pune | 79 |
| Mumbai | 46 |
| Sangli | 26 |
| Kolhapur | 20 |
| Nagpur | 19 |
| Solapur | 18 |
| Satara | 17 |
| Dharashiv | 16 |
| Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar | 16 |
| Thane | 16 |
| Jalna | 11 |
| Palghar | 11 |
| Ratnagiri | 10 |
| Jalgaon | 9 |
| Raigad | 9 |
| Nashik | 7 |
| Latur | 7 |
| Akola | 7 |
Maharashtra Schools Required To Display SQAAF Grade
Schools that underwent the external SQAAF evaluation are required to prominently display their awarded grade on the school building façade or official letterhead, as prescribed under the applicable government resolutions.
The grading system is intended to provide an assessment of school quality and encourage institutions to identify areas for improvement across various parameters.
How Was Maharashtra SQAAF Assessment Conducted?
The SQAAF assessment was carried out in two stages. The process began during the 2024-25 academic year, when schools completed an online self-evaluation through the SQAAF portal.
A total of 1,02,675 schools completed the online self-evaluation. Based on the scores obtained in this stage, 10,712 schools were shortlisted for external evaluation during the 2025-26 academic year.
Of these shortlisted institutions, 10,644 schools completed the external assessment. Following the evaluation, 429 schools were identified for the A+ grade.
What Is SQAAF Assessment?
The School Quality Assessment and Assurance Framework (SQAAF) is designed to assess and improve the overall quality of schools through a structured evaluation mechanism.
The assessment process combines school-level self-evaluation with external assessment. The results provide schools with an indication of their performance and help identify areas that may require further improvement.