Concerned that the new policies of replacing marks with grades and scrapping examinations up to class 8 might be affecting classroom rigour,the Kendriya Vidyalayas have decided to begin internal surveys to check if students are learning enough as they breeze through to progressively higher classes. There have been concerns that Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE),coupled with no detentions or automatic promotions irrespective of performance has led to a relaxation of learning standards in schools. Both policies have been introduced in schools across India under the Right to Education Act. Under CCE,pupils are given only grades,and the conventional year-end examination has been replaced by a round-the-year evaluation of both academic and co-curricular performance. The intention is to reduce students stress levels. The Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) which runs over 1,000 KVs across India will carry out Learning Assessment Surveys as students enter and leave classes 4 and 7,evaluating whether they were actually acquiring an incremental understanding of what was being taught to them as they moved up classes. The surveys will be structured like a surprise test. The assessments will not be shared with students or parents they will be serve as a diagnostic tool for teachers so they can take remedial action in case of students who may have failed to acquire basic minimum learning levels. The students will,however,continue to be promoted to the next class in keeping with the RTE. There will be two surveys in each of these classes. When a student starts class 4,there will be an assessment of where he stands in terms of learning levels. And as he exits that class,there will be a second round of assessment,so we can gauge whether the child has acquired the basic minimum level of learning vis-a-vis the curriculum. There will be a similar assessment in class 7 to gauge whether he is improving, a top KVS official said. The surveys which have already been designed will assess students on class-specific skill levels as defined by the National Council of Education Research & Training,the official said. KVS has shown a growing discomfort with CCE and the no-detention policy. The Sangathan feels that they make it challenging to ensure minimum levels of learning a bigger challenge arises when students who,despite not being able to absorb the widening curriculum,are promoted up to class 9,where they suddenly face the conventional end-of-year exam that they may not be ready for.
