Transforming Grading: The New Indian Student Report Card Unveiled!

The days when school report cards solely emphasized rote memorization and year-end examinations are no longer present.

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

In addition to academic achievement, students will be evaluated in the classroom based on interpersonal relationships, creativity, problem-solving abilities, self-awareness, and emotional quotient.

It was reported by The Indian Express that the assessment of students' performance using input from parents, peers, and even their own assessments will also be included in the HPC. Let's understand what it is and how you children will be benefited from it?

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 organization within the NCERT, as reported by the newspaper.

Report cards for the foundational stage (Classes one and two), preparatory stage (Classes three to five), and middle stage (Classes six to eight) have been prepared so far.

Work on the report cards for the secondary stage, which extends beyond Class Nine, is still pending. After a successful pilot conducted in select states in March 2023, all states and Union Territories have been urged by the NCERT to either adopt the HPC or make modifications that suit their regional requirements.

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

Features of HPC

• The HPC approach involves regular assessments of the students through active learning activities, wherein they are not only passive recipients of knowledge but also agents of transformation.
• A complete evaluation of a student's academic performance will now be conducted by the new progress card, rather than relying solely on grades or marks.
• Qualities of students, such as their ability to "collaborate," "follow instructions," and exhibit "creativity" or "empathy," among other skills, will be noted by teachers.
• Areas where pupils need assistance will be identified by teachers, based on shortcomings like "lack of preparation," "peer pressure," and "lack of attention."
• Students will actively participate in assessing their own performance and that of their peers as required by the holistic progress card.
• In the foundational level, students will circle suitable answers to descriptive statements, such as "I liked doing this work" or "I found this work easy," using responses like "Yes," "No," or "Do not know."
• Students will also evaluate their peers by responding to statements like "my friend found this work easy" or "my friend liked doing this work."
• The HPC will create a link between the home and the school by involving parents in their child's education. Parents will evaluate aspects like the child's ability to complete homework, adhere to lessons, spend time on screens, and take part in extracurricular activities at home.
• Students will be encouraged to create both academic and personal goals when they reach the middle stage (classes six to eight).
• They can list their goals, areas for improvement, and the abilities and routines they'll need to achieve them on an "ambition card."

Reason behind new change

HPC serves as a tool to enhance students' self-awareness and self-esteem by communicating their areas of strength and improvement, in line with NEP 2020, as reported by NDTV. The focus of HPC lies in assessing students' higher-order skills, such as analysis, critical thinking, and conceptual clarity, rather than examining rote memorisation abilities, as mentioned by Wion News. Aligned with the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE), introduced in 2023, the decision reflects the aim to make evaluation more "learner-centric," according to Wion News.

Benefits

The HPC emphasizes descriptive and analytical evaluation, considering a child's academic achievements alongside the development of essential skills, extending beyond numerical grades. It promotes competency-based assessment and holistic growth, facilitating the shift from summative to formative evaluation. Additionally, it strives to equip teachers and parents with insights to support each student's learning journey.