Data driven: M&E powers TN to second spot in SDG index

Vincent A and Alagappan Ramanathan

With a score of 78 in the latest SDG India Index (4.0), Tamil Nadu ranked second among Indian states. The score is 6 points up from the previous edition of the SDG India Index (3.0). Can the surge in this score be attributed to the robust Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) in Tamil Nadu? Among many interventions, programmes and schemes, M&E has been one of the major tools for the State’s success in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

SDGs are a comprehensive framework with 17 goals covering major sectors like Health, Environment, Education, Water & Sanitation and others. Countries across the globe are trying to achieve the SDGs by 2030. In this regard, to provide further impetus, India uses the SDG India Index, with a set of indicators spread across 17 goals to measure the performance of States and Union Territories. Tamil Nadu is one of the best-performing States. It is therefore safely said that M&E has become a key driver for Tamil Nadu to raise its performance. A deep dive into a few indicators related to Health, Education and Environment will help provide insights into how M&E helped Tamil Nadu achieve this milestone.

The State has cut its infant mortality rate by more than 70% over three decades, from 68 in 1992-93 (NFHS-1) to 19 in 2019-21 (NFHS-5). Such progress does not happen by chance. It is the result of careful tracking, constant feedback, and course correction. While policies, coupled with schemes and programmes, were the fulcrum in achieving this milestone, their success stems from the evolution of strong M&E systems. Digital M&E such as TN-HMIS (Health Management Information System), Pregnancy and Infant Cohort Monitoring and Evaluation (PICME) and Poshan Tracker have helped health systems deliver improved health and nutrition outcomes.

TN-HMIS captures health data and monitors indicators of maternal health, antenatal care, institutional delivery and other associated maternal health parameters. This has directly resulted in a reduced infant mortality rate. Further, M&E tools such as the Poshan Tracker, a dynamic mobile-based application, help identify stunting, wasting and underweight prevalence among children under five years of age. This enables service providers to deliver targeted services aimed at children in Anganwadis and other pre-schools.

Evidently, stunting among children under 5 years of age (low height for age) reduced from 31 to 25, wasting (low weight for height) from 22 to 15 and underweight (low weight for age) from 30 to 22. This historical evidence is a testament to the effectiveness of M&E in bringing desired results and outcomes (NFHS-5, 2019-21). This drastic reduction in child malnutrition demonstrates how continuous monitoring can translate into better health outcomes. Likewise, Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) per one lakh live births stands at 54 (NFHS-5), compared to the national average of 97, making it the fifth best in the country. The positive outcome comes from the active use of PICME by the Tamil Nadu Health System.

In the education sector, tracking beyond enrolment has become important against the backdrop of equitable and quality education. Platforms like the UDISE+ tool function as a unified M&E platform to track records of school infrastructure and student as well as teacher details elaborately. What was once fragmented data is now a real-time dashboard for improving the education system, enabling school administrators to track student and teacher data in real time. Through UDISE+, indicators such as the percentage of student enrolment, dropout ratio, pupil-teacher ratio, and percentage of schools with computers are assessed.

For instance, through UDISE+, it was assessed that about 78% of schools in Tamil Nadu have computers. It enables school administrations to make informed decisions to provide computer facilities for schools which require them. Tamil Nadu reported to have reduced the dropout rate at the secondary level to 4.5 (SDG India Index, 2023-24), far better than the national average of 12.60. This indicates the robustness of the M&E to detect problems and respond with targeted measures such as scholarships and infrastructure investment.

However, in learning outcomes, Tamil Nadu lags, as per the National Assessment Survey (NAS)-2021. This is where M&E proves to be an important tool to address gaps. To this end, M&E tools such as the Tamil Nadu State Learning Outcome Survey, introduced in 2025, National Sample Survey, and All India Survey on Education are playing a critical role in monitoring the education system. Similarly, at the higher education level, the Higher Education Dashboard and the All-India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) are worthwhile to mention.

In employment as well, Tamil Nadu demonstrated how M&E can address gaps. A yearly survey, the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), introduced in 2017, provides insight into labour participation and job trends. The share of people entering the workforce in Tamil Nadu, in the age group 15 to 59 years, stands at 67.1% against the national average of 63.3%, including both those in employment and those seeking employment (PLFS, 2025). Disproportionately, a large chunk of women employed in the manufacturing sector in the country comes from Tamil Nadu. At present, it stands at 43%. Among various measures, the flagship programmes initiated by Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation (TNSDC) need special mention. Also, its continuous data monitoring tools and evolving industry need-based skilling programmes address the caveats in workforce participation.

The M&E tools, which are in place to improve human development and economic growth, come at an environmental cost. Tamil Nadu’s experience shows that the trade-off cannot be utterly avoided but can be monitored closely. A digital-based Tamil Nadu Climate Action Tracker, introduced by the Department of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, helps monitor and visualise State and district-level greenhouse gas emissions data, as well as communicate the State’s climate action progress on adaptation and mitigation measures.

Owing to carbon-friendly initiatives and digital monitoring mechanisms, the area under green cover in Tamil Nadu is estimated at 31,820.94 sq.km, which is about 24.47% of the total geographical area, cites the India State of Forest Report, 2023. On waste management and cleanliness, the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) 2.0 dashboard was introduced, collecting data on solid waste and sanitation management. This helped Tamil Nadu achieve 100% Open Defecation Free Districts (ODF) status. Also, almost 100% of wards in Tamil Nadu have waste segregation measures at source. It demonstrates that what gets measured can easily be managed. Evidently, Tamil Nadu on this front is becoming a pioneer model.

M&E tools such as PICME, TN-HMIS, Poshan Tracker, UDISE+, AISHE, PLFS, and Tamil Nadu Climate Action Tracker have undoubtedly served as an impetus for the improved performance of Tamil Nadu in the SDG India Index. However, most often, these platforms focus on accessibility, output and coverage, rather than outcomes, impact, and data granularity at district and block levels.

Therefore, it is important to continually evolve M&E with improved granular data, outcome-focused metrics, and reduced data gaps. Tamil Nadu might have scored 78 today, but the journey is not complete, as it is 22 points less than the ideal score of 100. In the end, what matters most is not the number of programmes that are in place, but outcomes tracked, corrected and sustained.