The draft notes that explicit tests and examinations are completely inappropriate assessment tools for the Foundational stage (preschool to class 2).

The draft mentioned that in the developmental years, the written examinations would create unnecessary burden on the children. 

“Assessment should allow for diversity among children and in their learning. Children learn differently and express their learning differently too. The teacher should have the ability to design different kinds of assessment for the same learning outcome and use each assessment appropriately.

“Children’s progress should be described and analysed through systematic collection of evidence. Assessment should not contribute to any additional burden for the child,” it adds.

NCF on classes 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12

Describing the assessment for preparatory stage (class 3 to 5), the draft recommends that “written tests should be introduced at this stage”.

The draft prepared by a panel headed by K Kasturirangan, former ISRO chief, suggests that at the middle stage (class 6 to 8), the focus of the curriculum should move to conceptual understanding and higher order capacities.

In the secondary stage (class 9 to 12), the panel has asserted that comprehensive classroom assessments should be effectively practised for facilitating meaningful learning and constructive feedback. Regular summative assessments should be conducted for recording students learning against competencies.

Board examinations split into two

Board exams in two terms might be back for class 12 and the final result for classes 10 and 12 will take into account the marks of previous class, according to the draft National Curriculum Framework (NCF).

The NCF also proposes doing away with the current practice of dividing streams into science, arts or humanities and commerce for classes 11 and 12.

While the draft NCF proposes two term exams for classes 11 and 12 calling it “modular board exams”, it suggests that splitting the calendar into two parts for classes 9 and 10 is “unnecessary”.

Eight curriculars for classes 9-12

As per NEP 2020, the secondary stage will comprise four years of multidisciplinary study (class 9-12), building on subject oriented pedagogical and curricular style of the Middle Stage… greater flexibility and student choice of subjects.

The eight curricular areas are—humanities, mathematics and computing, vocational education, physical education, arts education, social science, science and interdisciplinary areas.

The secondary stage has been divided into two phases—classes 9-10 and classes 11-12. Broad curricular areas such as science, social science, humanities will be offered in classes 9 and 10. Disciplines such as history, physics, language within each Curricular Area will be offered in class 11 and 12 to enable depth.

For classes 11 and 12, the same set of eight curricular areas will continue to be on offer, but choice-based courses will be designed based on the disciplines (example: humanities discipline will offer languages, literature and philosophy) within the curricular areas to ensure deeper and more rigorous engagement.

The framework which is being developed on the lines of new National Education Policy (NEP) suggests that two important methods of assessment that are appropriate for the foundational stage are observations of the child and analysing artefacts that the child has produced as part of their learning experience.

(With inputs from PTI)