The Secretary of the Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education, recently chaired a comprehensive review meeting on the National Assessment Center, Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development (PARAKH). The meeting saw the participation of key stakeholders including Additional Secretaries of DoSEL, Shri Vipin Kumar and Shri Anandrao V. Patil; the Head of PARAKH at NCERT, Prof. Indrani Bhaduri, other Bureau heads, and a delegation from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) led by CEO Shri Amit Sevak, from Princeton, US.
During the meeting, Secretary Shri Sanjay Kumar emphasized the foundational role of assessment in the educational process, asserting that effective assessment strategies could revolutionize perceptions of education in India and establish new benchmarks for the world. He highlighted the necessity of educating teachers on the National Achievement Survey (NAS) to ensure exams are conducted with the utmost diligence.
A focal point of the discussion was the strengthening of the ‘Academic Bank of Credit’ and the ‘Competency-Based Framework’, facilitated by the innovative use of ‘Holistic Progress Cards (HPCs)’. These HPCs are envisaged not only as a means to track student progress but also as vital tools for teacher training. They aim to enhance teacher understanding of grade-specific competencies and the assessments related to them, promising a more informed and effective teaching methodology.
Established in March 2023, PARAKH operates as an autonomous entity under the Ministry of Education, born from the recommendations of the National Education Policy, 2020. Its creation marks a pivotal move towards realizing the policy’s objectives, focusing on a holistic approach to student assessment and development. The meeting underscored the collective commitment to refining the educational landscape through improved assessment mechanisms, setting the stage for a transformative impact on India’s educational standards.
