INTRODUCTION
Assessment refers to collecting
information on the progress of learners’ learning using a variety of
procedures, and evaluation refers to making judgments on the basis of the
information collected. Primary enrolment rates in India are now close to
universal. However, despite progress, attendance and retention rates are not
close to universal, secondary enrolment rates and learning achievement levels
are not satisfactory. Teaching for successful learning cannot occur without
high quality assessment. Assessment, therefore, needs to be integrated with the
process of teaching and learning. Assessment needs to be designed in such a
manner that it becomes a powerful means of influencing the quality of what
teachers teach and what learners learn.
In the Indian education system, the present trend in
evaluation lays too much emphasis on scholastic aspects, ignoring co-scholastic
ones. Memorization of facts is given precedence over abilities and skills
involving higher mental operations such as problem solving and creative
thinking. In effect, the real potential of the student is not assessed.
The story of India‘s educational achievements
is one of mixed success. On the down side, India has 22 per cent of the world‘s
population but 46 per cent of the world‘s illiterates, and is home to a high
proportion of the world‘s out-of-school children and youth (Geeta Gandhi
Kingdon, March 2007).
On the
positive side, it has made encouraging recent progress in raising schooling
participation. While the base line of India‘s education pyramid may be weak, it
has emerged as an important player in the worldwide information technology
revolution on the back of remarkable numbers of well-educated computing and
other graduates.
Evaluation and
assessment
According
to Dr Kirti Kapur (21 Jul 08/IST 11:05) [2], Evaluation is the systematic
determination of merit, worth and significance of something or someone and
assessment is the process of gathering and analyzing specific information as
part of an evaluation process. In the context of school education, evaluation
stands for a structured process of collecting, analyzing and interpreting
students‘ progress and achievement both in curricular and non-curricular areas.
It involves taking into consideration factors like the content,
classroom processes and
the growth of individual learners along with the appropriateness of the
evaluation procedures. Assessment is also a means to provide constant feedback
to the learner to make the course effective.
Assessment for improving learning in schools in India
Assessment
which promotes learning is characterized by the fact that:
1.
It is embedded in a view of teaching and learning of which it is an essential
part;
2.
It involves sharing learning goals with pupils;
3. It aims
to help pupils to know and to recognize the standards they are aiming for;
4.
It involves pupils in self-assessment;
5.
It provides feedback which leads to pupils recognizing their next steps and how
to take them; and
6. It is
underpinned by confidence that every student can improve. It involves both
teacher and pupils reviewing and reflecting on assessment data. (Assessment
Reform Groups, 1999)
Portfolios
which have long been a standard form of assessment can be defined as ―a
purposeful collection of a student‘s works that exhibits to the student (and/
or others) the student‘s efforts, progress, or achievement in a given area‖
(Northwest Evaluation Association, 1991: 4, cited in Wolcott, 1998)
Assessment in
secondary School level of education
Secondary education
The
National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986, has provided for environmental
awareness, science and technology education, and for the introduction of
traditional elements such as Yoga into the Indian secondary school
systemSecondary education covers children between the ages of 14–18 which
covers 88.5 million children according to the Census, 2001. However, enrolment
figures show that only 31 million of these children were attending schools in
2001–02, which means that two-third of the population remained out of school
A
significant feature of India's secondary school system is the emphasis on
inclusion of the disadvantaged sections of the society. Professionals from
established institutes are often called upon to support vocational training.
Another feature of India's secondary school system is its emphasis on
profession-based vocational training to help students attain skills for finding
a vocation of his/her choosingA significant new feature has been the extension
of SSA to secondary education in the form of the Madhyamik Shiksha AbhiyanA
list of Boards and Councils is given in Table – 8.
A special
Integrated Education for Disabled Children (IEDC) programme was started in 1974
with a focus on primary education But which was converted into Inclusive Education
at the Secondary Stage Another notable special programme, the Kendriya Vidyalaya project, was started for the
employees of the central government of India, who are distributed throughout
the country. The government started the Kendriya Vidyalaya project in
1965 to provide uniform education in institutions following the same syllabus
at the same pace regardless of the location to which the employee's family has
been transferred.
A multilingual web
portal on Primary Education is available with rich multimedia content for
children with forums for discussion on Educational issues. India Development
Gateway is a nationwide initiative that seeks to facilitate rural empowerment
through the provision of responsive information, products and services in local
languages.
Important extracts from the council regulations for ICSE
examinations with regards to internal assessment
―If no
marks, or the letters ‗AB‘ appear in the column entitled ‗Total Marks‘ against
a candidate‘s name the result of the subject will be shown as ‗Absent‘ when the
results of the examination as a whole are issued irrespective of whether or not
the candidate appeared and obtained a result in the written paper‖. Thus, if
the projects are not submitted on or before the last date as per school
directive the student will be treated as absent as in the case of any external
paper for which the student does not appear. The Marks for internal assessment
for such cases will be entered AB in keeping with the guidelines of the
Council.
Internal assessment for class IX & X based on CISCE
guidelines
In the column of the
mark sheet(s) entitled ‗Total Marks‘ the results of each candidate in SUPW
should be given in terms of a grade, namely A, B, C, D or E based on the five
point scale as follows:
Five
point grading system based on council of ISCE guidelines
Grade Standards
|
|
A Very Good
|
|
B Good
|
|
C Fair
|
|
D Satisfactory
|
|
E Unsatisfactory
|
|
ICSE Marking Scheme:
The marking scheme of ICSE - Class 10 is given below:
Group1 is Compulsory for all Students may select any 2 subjects from
group 2 and any 1 subject from group 3.
For obtaining ICSE certificate, one has to appear for 7
subjects, out of which pass marks will have to be obtained in 5 subjects. Pass
marks for each subject is 35%.
HOW CBSE’S GRADING SYSTEM WORK
All students have been awarded grades, not marks The practice of
declaring Compartment/Fail has been discontinued The result of candidates
is now declared in two cate¬gories: Eligible for qualifying certificate (QUAL)
and Eligible for improvement of performance (EIOP) All candidates, even if they
have failed in all subjects will now have five chances to improve their
performance without having to repeat a year.
THE NEW ORDER
With Board exams being made optional from the academic year 2010-11, a new
system of evaluation – Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) – based on
grades has been approved. It comprises formative and summative assessment of
the student to be done over two terms – first and second -during the year-long
academic calendar.
Summative Assessment: Based on the term-end examination
There will be two evaluations each in the first and second terms. The first
term-end exam will carry 20 marks. The second term-end exam will carry 40
marks.
Formative Assessment: To evaluate and grade class work, homework, assignment
and project work there will be one term-end exam for each term. Each
evaluation will carry 10 marks apiece.
EVALUATION
Students of class IX and X will be evaluated on a 9-point grading system. Each
grade, given on the basis of both formative and summative assessments, will
correspond to a range of marks as indicated below:
MARKS
RANGE
GRADE
GRADE POINT
91-100
A1
10.0
81
-90
A2
9.0
71
-80
B1
8.0
61-70
B2
7.0
51
-60
C1
6.0
41
-50
C2
5.0
33-40
D
4.0
21-32 E1
00-20 E2
In Indian society education plays a very important role. A person is judged by
the education he/she has. As India is known for the diversity in its culture a
lot of diversity can also be found in the INDIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM.
In India many number of boards co exist in the education system. Each board has
its own criteria to judge students' capabilities. Some board judge student on
behalf of knowledge whereas the other board judge student by applying new
system for marking etc.
The different board which are there in India are CBSE, ICSE, RAJ board, SSC
board and many more state boards. The different marking Schemes are:
- Grading System
- Best of 5 System
- Percentage System
- Percentile System
Grading system consists of the marking scheme in which students are given grade
depending upon the marks they have obtained in the examinations. Similarly the
other system also evaluates the student performance in exams but they provide
percentage of the marks obtain in the exams or they do cumulative grading
system.
The basic difference comes in the new system like Best Of Five. In this system
a student is allowed to give exams of 5-6 subjects depending upon the board but
the ultimate fate of student is decided on the basis of the marks scored
in the five subjects only.
Use of so many marking schemes puts student in dilemma. The student is unable
to understand the advantage or disadvantage of the above system till the
results are declared.
Following the US model, the implementation of the grading system is to bring in
more practical education than the current theoretical method.
Awarding of grades has a number of advantages over awarding of numerical marks.
It considerably reduces examiner's changing moods while assessing one student
after the other. It also takes care of imperfection of tools used for
assessment. Statistical research in assessment techniques indicates that there
is a possibility of variation of scores awarded to individuals to the extent of
5% to 15%. Putting students of similar potential in same grades automatically
takes care of all the shortcomings in assessment techniques. Lastly, it will
reduce undesired and unsound comparison of small difference of marks.
Some feel that the Indian education system has taken a step forward towards
reviving the education system with the introduction of grading system in
session 2009-10. It will help in reducing the pressure on students during
exams.
As per reports, every day more than 17 students aged between 15-25 years commit
suicide in India due to non-performance in the examination or an entrance test.
Watching young children of the country succumbing to the undue pressure of
scoring high marks is horrifying.
Further, this often
causes health hazard such as fatigue, body aches, eye weakness, stress and in
more severe cases, depression.
Thus, the implementation of a grading system and abolition of board exams is
really a boon for students.
Students will be evaluated on a 9-point grading system, which will diminish the
difference between a student scoring 99% and one scoring 91%. Both students
will get the A+ grade. To make the grading system a success, parents and
teachers need to acknowledge children's special assets and encourage them to
pursue that.
Central board of secondary education
(CBSE) new grading and assessment system
The
Central Board of Secondary Education is shortly going to introduce its new
grading and assessment system. The system will be helpful to schools to get rid
of rote learning. The following are the details of this system.
The academic session
Each
academic session in Class IX and X will comprise two terms and students will
have two term-end exams called summative assessments. The CBSE provides a
question bank to schools, from which they then prepare their question papers for
the term-end exam and evaluate papers internally. Continuous evaluation will
take place through formative assessment and will comprise class work, homework,
oral questions and quizzes, projects and assignments. ―There are four formative
assessments in one academic session carrying 40 per cent weightage‖.
A continuous process
Continuous
and comprehensive evaluation will not only take into account the academic
performance of a child but also focus on scholastic and co-scholastic
activities. Scholastic areas would include work experience, art education,
general knowledge and computer science. The bigger challenge would be grading
students on thinking and emotional skills, attitude towards teachers,
schoolmates and public property. The development in the creative skills like
debate, creative writing, recitation, drawing etc. is also assessed.
The grading system
The marks
given in exams will be replaced by grades. Although Class X students will have
a Board exam this year, they will be graded and not marked. (See box above).
However, a student can find out his/her percentile, but it will not be recorded
on the report card.
Exam-on-demand
The CBSE
will conduct an exam on-demand for Class X students who want to sit for a Class
X final exam. According to formal HRD Minister Kapil Sibal, the test can be
taken and the student will be given a CBSE certificate in case he/she wants to
go to another school or join pre-university. The student can choose from a
number of dates on which the exam will be held. The pattern will be the same as
in SAT. Online and offline exams will be available and the question paper will
be different for each student.
Moving out of system
In states where the
CBSE schools run up to class X, students who have to enter pre-university can
ask the board for marks. For instance, in Maharashtra, many CBSE students
prefer to opt for pre-university after Class X since it makes it easier for
them to get admission into undergraduate courses. If a student wants to switch
to the state board system, the system will provide the original marks in terms
of numbers.
Cumulative grade point average (CGPA): a new system in CBSE
schools
Following
reservations expressed by various schools over the Class XI admissions from
this session, CBSE is planning a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) system
to help schools.
Under the
system, average grades obtained by students in each subject will be considered
while allocating them different streams in Class XI.
With
grades replacing marks from this year in Class X, schools are uncertain about
the admission criteria to be followed for Class XI. Schools believe that grades
will make allocation of streams in Class XI difficult as a large number of
students will have the same grade.
With CBSE
planning to introduce the CGPA system, schools can heave a sigh of relief. CBSE
chairperson Vineet Joshi said, ―We will come up with detailed guidelines for schools
by March end. Our guidelines will clarify how to break a tie. It is a pilot
test and we hope it will work well.‖
The CBSE
will soon be issuing an advisory to all affiliated schools. Up until last year,
schools would allocate streams to students based on pre-Board results or on the
basis of a test that they would conduct after Class X. The CBSE will award
grades on a nine-point scale to ―indicate subject-wise performance‖. Students
scoring A1 grade will be given 9 points, a student getting grade A2 will get 8
points and so on.
R K
Sharma, principal of Ahlcon Public School, said―Schools can calculate average
grade points in all subjects. For admission in the Science stream, a school can
take the average of grade points in Mathematics, Science and English.
Centre for assessment, evaluation and research (CAER) in
CBSE
CBSE has
decided to establish a Centre to develop international capabilities and
resources for its Schools and Teachers. The Centre will establish best
practices in school-based assessment, entrance examinations, conduct research
into policies and programmes that can improve teaching quality and strengthen
student learning. These policy programmes might include adapting, developing
assessments and related resources, defining assessment frameworks, professional
learning, teacher evaluation, professional recruitment amongst many other
issues.
The Centre
will create research capability and assessment resources of international
quality. Through diagnostic testing it will establish a system to provide input
to CBSE regarding student learning as well as providing professional
development and leadership training. The Centre will also conduct research into
policies and programmes that can improve student learning and teaching quality.
The Centre will be
developed using a three-year phased approach and it is expected that it will be
a well-established self-sustaining institute by the end of this period.
Resources created or research undertaken in any work of the institute will use
as a foundation the National Curriculum Framework of NCERT and the CCE
guidelines.
C C E grading system of CBSE
The new order
With Board
exams being made optional from the academic year 2010-11, a new system of
evaluation – Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) – based on grades
has been approved. It comprises formative and summative assessment of the
student to be done over two terms – first and second - during the year-long
academic calendar.
Summative Assessment and Formative
Assessment
Summative
Assessment: Based on the term-end examination
|
Formative
Assessment: To evaluate and grade class work, homework, assignment and
project work
|
1) There
will be two evaluations each in the
|
1) There
will be one term-end exam for each
|
first
and second terms.
2) Each
evaluation will carry 10 marks apiece.
|
term.
2) The
first term-end exam will carry 20 marks.
3) The
second term-end exam will carry 40 marks.
|
How CBSE‘S new
grading system will work
1. All students will be awarded grades, not marks.
2. The practice of declaring Compartment/Fail has been
discontinued.
3. The result of candidates is now declared in two categories:
Eligible for qualifying certificate (QUAL) and Eligible for improvement of
performance (EIOP).
4. All candidates,
even if they have failed in all subjects will now have five chances to improve
their performance without having to repeat a year.
Evaluation
Students of class IX
and X will be evaluated on a 9-point grading system. Each grade, given on the
basis of both formative and summative assessments, will correspond to a range
of marks as indicated below:
New Grading
System of CBSE MARKS
The
nine point grading scale for measuring Scholastic achievements is reproduced
below: -
Marks Range
|
Grade
|
Grade point
|
91-100
|
A1
|
10.0
|
81-90
|
A2
|
9.0
|
71-80
|
B1
|
8.0
|
61-70
|
B2
|
7.0
|
51-60
|
C1
|
6.0
|
41-50
|
C2
|
5.0
|
33-40
|
D
|
4.0
|
21-32
|
E1
|
C
|
00-20
|
E2
|
C
|
Points to
Remember:
(i) Assessment of
theory/practical papers in external subjects shall be in numerical scores. In
addition to numerical scores, the Board shall indicate grades in the mark
sheets issued to the candidates in case of subjects of external examinations.
In case of internal assessment subjects, only grades shall be shown.
(ii) Subjects of
internal examination in Class X the assessment shall be made on a five point
scale i.e. A, B, C, and D & E.
(iii) The grades
shall be derived from scores in case of subjects of external examination. In
case of subjects of internal assessment, they shall be awarded by the schools.
(iv) The qualifying
marks in each subject of external examination shall be 33%. However at Senior
School Certificate Examination, in a subject involving practical work, a
candidate must obtain 33% marks
in the
theory and 33% marks in the practical separately in addition to 33% marks in
aggregate, in order to qualify in that subject.
Important:
(a) In case of a tie,
all the students getting the same score will get the same grade. If the number
of students at a score point needs to be divided into two segments, the smaller
segment will go with the larger.
(b) Method of grading
will be used in subjects where the number of candidates who have passed is more
than 500.
(c) In
respect of subjects where total number of candidates passing in a subject is
less than 500, the grading would be adopted on the pattern of grading and
distribution in other similar subjects.
Kerala
Secondary Education Examination Board
KSEB 10th class examinations were successfully laid down as per the
scheduled time table. Approximately 5 lakh students have participated for
academic examinations of 10th class / SSLC (Secondary School Leaving
Certificate) Examinations 2016 in the state of Kerala. The Examinations were
conducted at various affiliated schools of KSEB Board.The students have
prepared well for the examinations and given their best to score high marks in
the board examinations of SSLC. All the students are now anxiously searching on
the internet to know the Kerala 10th Class Results Date 2016. As per the latest
updates from Kerala News channels and news papers the Kerala SSLC class results
are to be announced shortly. The KSEB Board continually announces the 10th
class results in the month of May. According to information we got, the Kerala
Board is going to announce the results in 3rd week of May (Tentatively). Thus
students wait for couple of more days to know the definite date. When the board
reveals the official results date we will be intimating the most recent updates
here. Students can check the result, marks and grade from the official portal
of UP Board,
www.keralaresults.nic.in.
The KSEB Board is going to display the marks scored in each subject, grade
obtained by the candidates can other information. Students aspiring to check
their results can visit the official website often for more information.
From 2005 Grading
System which is being introduced to replace the mark and rank system followed
hitherto. The grading system has several dimensions. It has been described as a
major initiative of the State Government in the area of general education. The
system followed for decades has been one of awarding marks and categorising
students on the basis of their performance in the SSLC examination.
Candidates securing more than 80 per cent
marks were considered a privileged lot, for they came under the `Distinction'
category. Those scoring 60 per cent and above were placed in the `First Class'
and students with marks in the 50 to 59 per cent range, in the `Second Class'.
All the others declared to have passed the examination were in the `Third
Class' category. And then there were the less fortunate students for whom the
SSLC mark list would bear the `Failed' seal. However, out of over five lakh
candidates who used to appear for the SSLC examination year after year, only a
handful hogged the limelight; the ones securing the top ranks stealing the
show.
There had been highly intense competition
for securing the first three slots and in most cases, the difference between
the first and second or the second and third rank would be just one or two
marks.
The system of ranking was believed to cause
a lot of tension for the students and undue anxiety for their parents and
school authorities. Losing a position at the top by a narrow margin of one or
two marks would be the most disastrous event ever to happen in the life of a
15-year-old child.
With schools competing among each other for
maximum ranks and 100 per cent pass, the result of the SSLC examination used to
have an aura around it. However, the competition, especially among the private
schools, most often exceeded all limits on account of the fact that the result
of the SSLC examination was the prime factor that contributed to the prestige
of the institution.
The anxiety, the agony and the ecstasy are
all gone this time, with the introduction of the grading system. The method of
ranking the candidates has been done away with and more importantly, the system
of classifying them as `passed' or `failed' will no more be there.
Instead, there will be nine grades by which
all those who had appeared in the SSLC examination will be covered. Those
securing 90 to 100 per cent marks in a particular subject will be awarded the
`A+' grade and students scoring 30 to 39 per cent, the `D+', grade. Then there
are the D and E grades for those who score still less marks. Only those who
secure `D+' and above grades in all the 13 papers will be eligible for higher
studies.
CONCLUSION
In a rapidly changing
world, the education system in India is re-shaping and refreshing itself day by
day. The most sensitive part of curriculum change is change in the Assessment
and Evaluation system. For quality assurance and for maintaining public
confidence, links with authorities like International Assessments for Indian
Schools and distinguished foreign institutions are thought to be vital. The
Government of the Republic of India through the Ministry of Human Resource Development
is the controlling authority of the assessment systems and procedures. The
Educational Boards and Councils in different states and union territories are
applying their own strategies to assess and evaluate the learners keeping a
similarity with the standard and norms as used in CBSE, ICSE and State. A
number of national levels Councils NCTE, IMC, AICTE, NCERT etc. are also
directly involved in this system. It seems that assessment will continue to be
a contentious issue and Indian students will continue to take part in the
national and international tests. The key factor for the system and the
educational institutions is to establish equilibrium between measuring and
assessing achievements and the practical consequences on the teaching -learning
process. Because the educated members of the élite society are no longer of the
opinion that the learners should be accessed through global standard norms and
criteria, some Universities and Academic Institutions of national and
international reputation are introducing their own admission tests.
REFERENCE
(1) APJEM
Arth Praband: A Journal of Economics and Management
Vol.2 Issue 2 February 2013,
ISSN 2278‐0629
Pinnacle Research Journals 23
http://www.pinnaclejournals.com
STUDENT ASSESSMENT SYSTEM AT SECONDARY LEVEL –
A CRITIQUE
DR. PURNA PRABHAKAR NANDAMURI*; DR. K. V. RAO**
(2)
SSLC
- Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.html
(3)
Kerala
State Education Board - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.html
(4)
Educational
assessment - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.html
attitude that the word problems
solved problems that had nothing to do with them or anything
looking at a problem. Throughout my research, I came
across this idea many times.
