CBSE Changes Assessment For Grade 6 to 9
The CBSE Board of India has announced via circular, it will be implementing significant changes to the Grade 6 to 9 assessment and examination systems to be implemented in the new April 2017/18 academic year.
The circular states these changes are required to prepare students adequately for the newly implemented Grade 10 examination changes, also to be rolled out in the new academic year.
The circular, dated 21 March 2017, notes, "to increase the confidence in the students to start preparing for class X Board examination when they join the upper primary stage in class VI, the CBSE has decided to implement the uniform system of assessment, examination pattern and issue of report cards for classes VI to VIII also on the similar pattern."
"While keeping in view the provisions of Right to Education Act, 2009, the scheme for classes VI-VIII has been designed on Term Assessment basis with gradual increase in the learning assessment as the students move forward. This would prepare the students to cover the whole syllabus of the academic year and face the challenge of class X Board examination, and would thus, ensure the ‘quality of education’."
The new system for Grade 6 to 8 will see the academic year split into two distinct sessions. At the end of the first session students will be assessed on the work covered.
The end of year testing (end of second session) will cover everything learned during the second session plus: 10 percent of the first session for Grade 6, 20 percent of the first session for Grade 7 and 30 percent of the first session for Grade 8.
The first session components to be assessed in the final end of year testing are what the Board calls, 'significant topics.'
Each session will have a potential 100 points to be awarded to students. The session exams will constitute 80 percent of the marks while the remaining 20 percent will be sourced from the students' regular class-work.
Coursework varies depending on the subject, but includes; periodic testing for languages and notebook submission for social sciences.
In the same circular, the Board also announced plans to standardise all CBSE report cards for Grades 6 to 9.
"The CBSE affiliated schools currently follow various systems of assessment and examination for classes VI to IX and issue different types of report cards to their students," stated the circular.
"Due to disparities in the system, the students of classes VI to IX face several problems whenever they migrate to another school."
It went on to highlight, "with the family of CBSE affiliated schools growing from 309 schools in 1962 to 18,688 at present, it has become imperative to have a uniform system of assessment, examination pattern and report cards for classes VI to IX for ease of students and other stakeholders. This will not only ensure the easy migration of students within the family of CBSE affiliated schools but also ease their difficulties while seeking admission in new schools."
For more information on the CBSE Board changes for the 2017/18 academic year see:
The CBSE Board Changes to Grade 10: Explained
CBSE Stops 41 Academic & Vocational Courses for 2017/18
