Why in the News?

PARAKH, a standard-setting body under the NCERT, recently released a ‘Holistic Progress Card’ for secondary school students (Classes 9 to 12).

What’s in Today’s Article?

• About PARAKH (Objective, Focus Areas, etc.)
• About HPC (Objective, Features, Benefits, etc.)
• News Summary

About PARAKH:

• National Assessment Centre- PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development) was set up in NCERT as an independent body in 2023.
• Objective: To fulfil the basic objectives of setting norms, standards, guidelines and implement activities related to student assessment along with other tasks as mandated by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
• There are four major areas of focus for PARAKH:
  • Capacity Development in Competency-Based Assessment: Project Vidyasagar –
    • PARAKH, in partnership with the PhD Chamber of Commerce, is organizing workshops across India to familiarize educators with the new pedagogical and policy changes in the National Curriculum Framework 2023.
    • The goal is to bridge gaps in implementing competency-based learning and teaching.
  • Large-Scale Achievement Survey:
    • PARAKH conducted the State Educational Achievement Survey in November 2023, assessing students in Grades 3, 6, and 9 across 30 States/UTs.
    • The survey aims to monitor and assess educational competencies in foundational literacy, numeracy, language, and mathematics.
  • Equivalence of School Boards:
    • PARAKH is working to standardize examination reforms across all Indian school boards.
    • Regional workshops were held to collect data on administration, curriculum, assessments, and infrastructure.
    • A report was prepared, and national workshops were conducted to discuss and draft policy recommendations for equivalence. T
    • The goal is to allocate credit points to academic, vocational, and experiential learning.
  • Holistic Progress Cards

About Holistic Progress Cards:

• The Holistic Progress Card, or HPC, will no longer depend on marks or grades to evaluate a student’s academic performance. Instead, it will rely on a 360-degree evaluation.
• Under the HPC model, the students will be regularly assessed through class activities where they are not just passive learners but active agents.
  • The activities will prompt students to apply diverse skills and competencies that will demonstrate whether they have been able to grasp concepts.
• Features
  • The difficulty level they experience while performing a task will also be assessed.
  • Teachers will be able to register the strengths of a student, such as their ability to “collaborate”, “follow instructions”, show “creativity” or “empathy”, etc.
  • Similarly, weaknesses like “lack of attention”, “peer pressure”, “lack of preparation” will help teachers identify areas where students need help.
  • The HPC allows students to evaluate their own and their classmates’ performance with simple responses like ‘Yes’, ‘No’, or ‘Do not know’ to descriptive statements.
  • Additionally, it connects home and school by incorporating parents’ input on their child’s homework abilities, classroom engagement, and balancing screen time with extracurricular activities.
  • This approach makes parents an integral part of the child’s learning process.
• Benefits of HPC:
  • The HPC goes beyond numerical grades, focusing on descriptive and analytical evaluations that encompass academic achievements as well as the development of critical skills in a child.
  • It promotes a shift from summative to formative assessment, fostering competency-based evaluation and holistic growth.
  • Additionally, it seeks to provide teachers and parents with insights to support each student in learning.

NCERT’s New Report Card to Track Post School Plans, Life Skills:

• PARAKH has recently released a ‘Holistic Progress Card’ for secondary school students (Classes 9 to 12).
• As per the available information, the report card will not be used in the ongoing 2024-25 academic session. However, teachers and other officials will be trained on its implementation.
• States can take a call on whether to implement the HPC as released by the NCERT or adapt it to suit their needs.
• These report cards are expected to be factored in the results for those appearing for the Board exams in Classes 10 and 12.
• Some states, including Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, have begun preparing to implement the HPCs for those up to class 8 from the 2024-25 academic session onwards.