The National Council for Educational and Research Training (NCERT) has introduced a new “holistic” report card that incorporates feedback from parents, classmates, and even self-evaluation by students to track their overall progress regularly.
PARAKH, a standard-setting body under the NCERT, has devised the Holistic Progress Card (HPC) for foundational stage (Classes 1 and 2), preparatory stage (Classes 3 to 5) and middle stage (Classes 6 to 8) and is currently working on developing one for the secondary stage.
The NCERT has asked all states to either adopt the HPC or adapt it according to their requirements.
Traditionally, assessment in schools has been primarily focused on year-end examinations, with the responsibility solely placed on teachers. The HPC, aligned with the recommendations of the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) to make evaluation more “learner-centric”, marks a departure from this approach by considering various aspects of learning, including diverse skills and competencies, rather than solely relying on marks obtained in periodic tests. Its aim is to track not only students’ academic performance but also their cognitive, socio-emotional abilities, and creativity during class activities.
To achieve this, the HPC emphasises on a descriptive form of evaluation where students are active participants. Each child will be able to evaluate not only their own performance but also of their classmates. According to the NEP 2020, the HPC is a means to build on self-awareness and self-esteem of students by communicating the strengths and areas of improvement.
At all stages, going beyond academic learning, students are assessed on self-awareness, interpersonal relationships, problem-solving, emotional quotient and creative skills. Each student has to reflect on their own progress at the end of an activity by circling statements such as — “I was able to learn something new” or “I was able to express my creativity” or “I was able to help others in some way”.
For example, at the end of an activity, a student of Class 1 will circle what they were able to do and not do. A child can self-evaluate her performance through descriptive remarks such as “I liked doing this work”, “I could ask my friends for help”, “I followed my teacher’s instructions” by colouring smileys that say ‘yes’, ‘no’ or ‘not sure’. This “student’s self-reflection” is part of the HPC for all students from Class 1 to Class 8.
At middle stage (Class 6 to Class 8), students are encouraged to set their own academic and personal goals and a definite timeline by which they wish to achieve these goals at the beginning of the year. Students are also required to fill in their expectations from a teacher with respect to areas where they need help.
The HPC for middle stage also includes an “ambition card” where a student can fill in her ambitions for the year and mention areas where she must improve, skills and habits she must develop to achieve her ambitions.
The HPC will also link home and school by making parents an integral part of a child’s learning process. It will include inputs of parents like ability to do homework, following lessons in the classroom and even student’s ability to balance screen time with extra-curricular activities at home.
The new assessment form gives importance to peer evaluation as well. At the end of a classroom activity, each student is required to remark whether their classmates were able to execute tasks while learning and engaging. Each student has to circle descriptive indicators of progress like classmates were able to “understand the activity”, “were able to support me or the teacher in the activity” or “were able to contribute to the success of activity”.
In March 2023, NCERT conducted a pilot study in select states following which, in September, NCERT wrote to the states and UTs to start implementation of the HPC in schools. “We had conducted a pilot study with select schools in March 2023 and then we had asked the states to implement the HPC by adopting or adapting it according to their own contextual requirements. The states can also translate these HPC in their respective regional languages. Almost 15 to 16 states and UT as well as CBSE schools are now assessing students based on the HPC,” said Indrani Bhaduri, head and CEO of PARAKH. Other states are at various stages of implementing the HPC, she said.
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