A For Effort: How new report card for Indian students will differ from the old

Gone were the days when school report cards only focused on rote memorisation and year-end examinations.

A new "holistic progress card" (HPC) has been introduced by the National Council for Educational and Research Training (NCERT).

In addition to academic achievement, the standards for evaluating students in the classroom will encompass interpersonal relationships, creativity, problem-solving abilities, self-awareness, and emotional quotient.

The Indian Express reported that HPC will also assess pupils' performance using input from parents, peers, and even their own assessments.

Let’s take a closer look.

What is a Holistic Progress Card?

Based on recommendations from the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the HPCs were developed by Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development (PARAKH), a standard-setting organisation within the NCERT, the newspaper said.

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So far, report cards for the foundational stage (Classes one and two), preparatory stage (Classes three to five), and middle stage (Classes six to eight) are prepared.

There is still work to be done on the report cards for the secondary stage, which goes beyond Class Nine.

Following a successful pilot student in select states in March 2023, the NCERT has urged all states and Union Territories to either adopt the HPC or make modifications that suit their regional requirements.

The new approach is already being used in 15 to 16 states and UTs at the foundational and preparatory stages, according to Indrani Bhaduri, CEO of PARAKH.

Features of HPC

The HPC approach involves regular assessments of the students through active learning activities in which they are not only passive recipients of knowledge but also agents of transformation.

The new progress card will now conduct a complete evaluation of a student's academic performance rather than relying solely on grades or marks.

Teachers will note a student's qualities based on their ability to “collaborate,” “follow instructions,” and exhibit “creativity” or “empathy,” among other skills. Similar to this, teachers can pinpoint areas where pupils want assistance by identifying shortcomings like "lack of preparation," "peer pressure," and "lack of attention."

The holistic progress card also requires students to actively participate in assessing their own performance and that of their peers.

In the foundational level, a student would circle suitable answers to statements that are descriptive, such as "I liked doing this work" or "I found this work easy," such as "Yes," "No," or "Do not know." In a similar vein, a student will evaluate her peers by responding, "my friend found this work easy" or "my friend liked doing this work."

The HPC will also create a link between the home and the school by involving parents in their child's education. The ability of the child to complete homework, adhere to lessons, spend time on screens, and take part in extracurricular activities at home will all be evaluated by the parents.

Students are encouraged to create both academic and personal goals when they reach the middle stage (classes six to eight).

Students can list their goals, areas for improvement, and the abilities and routines they'll need to achieve them on an "ambition card."

The reason for the change

As per NEP 2020, HPC serves as a tool to enhance students' self-awareness and self-esteem by communicating their areas of strength and improvement, as reported by NDTV.

The HPC focuses on assessing students' higher-order skills, such as analysis, critical thinking, and conceptual clarity, rather than examining rote memorisation abilities.

According to Wion News, the decision is in line with the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE), which was introduced in 2023 and suggests making evaluation more "learner-centric."

Benefits

The HPC focuses on descriptive and analytical evaluation that takes into account a child's academic achievements as well as the development of vital abilities, going beyond numerical grades.

It encourages competency-based evaluation and all-encompassing development by supporting the transition from summative to formative assessment.

It also aims to provide teachers and parents with information to help each student learn.

With inputs from agencies