Assessment Reforms under NEP 2020

NEP 2020 seeks to reduce examination pressure by shifting assessment from one-time, memory-based testing towards regular, formative and competency-based evaluation. It retains Board and entrance examinations but proposes redesigning them to test core capacities, provide flexibility and offer more than one opportunity. Assessment is therefore intended to support learning rather than merely rank students.

Shift towards competency-based assessment

The policy proposes assessment “for learning” rather than assessment dominated by rote memorisation and final examinations.

• School assessment should be regular, formative and competency-based, with emphasis on conceptual understanding, application and higher-order skills.
• A holistic, 360-degree progress card should reflect each learner’s development across cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains.
• The progress card should incorporate teacher assessment along with self-assessment and peer assessment.
• Project-based, inquiry-based and other classroom learning activities should contribute to the assessment of student progress.
• Examinations in Grades 3, 5 and 8 should assess achievement of basic learning outcomes and be used for developmental purposes and improvement of the school system.

Redesign of Board examinations

Board examinations for Grades 10 and 12 are to continue, but their content and format should reduce dependence on coaching and memorisation.

• Board examinations should primarily test core capacities and competencies rather than months of memorised content.
• Students should be allowed to take Board examinations on up to two occasions in a school year, one main examination and one opportunity for improvement, if desired.
• Students should have greater flexibility and choice in the subjects for which they take Board examinations.
• Boards may explore annual, semester or modular examination models so that each examination covers less material.
• Possible models include offering subjects at different levels and dividing examinations into objective and descriptive components.

Institutional and entrance-examination reforms

Common standards and fewer duplicative entrance tests are intended to make assessment more coherent and less burdensome.

• NEP 2020 envisages PARAKH, the Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development, as a national standard-setting body for student assessment.
• PARAKH is intended to frame norms, standards and guidelines and help recognised school boards move towards competency-based assessment.
• The National Testing Agency is envisaged to offer common aptitude and specialised subject examinations for university admissions at least twice every year.
• Higher education institutions may use these common tests for admissions, reducing the need for students to prepare for numerous separate university entrance examinations.

How UPSC asks this