Board Thread:Questions and Answers/@comment-17714224-20131122225810/@comment-24001115-20131123180608

''I have been under the impression that the sytem scan is entirely a farce and doesn't have really anything to do with how powerful you are but instead has been rigged from the begining and that the strongest esper may not even be a level 5.

The way I understand it is that the ranking system is not based on how "powerful" your ability is, but instead how "useful" your power is. The less "useful" or "more detriment" for that matter, Academy City feels your power is to their (Aleister's) plan the less they are willing to develop it.''

It was stated that it doesn't show who is the strongest:

The esper Level   is Academy City's categorization for esper abilities which determines how much a student has advanced in the Power Curriculum Program.

Quote: http://toarumajutsunoindex.wikia.com

Touma came to Academy City with a power that is easily the strongest but was catagorized as a level 0 becouse he also holds enough power (and the type of personality) to put a stop to their plans.

He isn't the strongest. He only won a lot of fights through luck and his companions. Also he was catogorized as Level 0, because System Scan couldn't find any AIM field or any power and IB is something that doesn't belong to science or magic.

Also Uiharu's power could shake the world "literally" if it was  fully developed and with her strong sense of justice and inability to be manipulated unike Misaka, or even Kongou for that matter, could also be a reason why she's such a low level

What do you mean with fully developed? Do you mean reach Level 6? If yes, then i have to say that everyone can shake the world if they reach such a Level. If you mean just Level 5, then i have to say that everyone would be very strong if they reach Level 5.