1. Assessing Learners

We need a curriculum whose creativity, innovativeness, and development of the whole being, the hallmark of a good education makes uniform tests that assess memorized facts and textbook-based learning obsolete. We need to redefine and seek new parameters for and ways of evaluation and feedback. In addition to the learner’s achievements in specific subject areas that lend themselves to testing easily, assessment would need to encompass attitudes to learning, interest and the ability to learn independently.

2. Assessment In The Course Of Teaching

The belief that assessment must lead to finding learning difficulties to then be remediated is often very impractical and not founded on a sound understanding of pedagogic practice. Problems regarding conceptual development cannot and do not wait for formal tests in order to be detected. A teacher can, in the course of teaching itself, come to know of such problems by asking questions that make children think or by giving them small assignments. She can then attend to them in the process- by ensuring that her planning is flexible and responsive to the learners and their learning.


One does not need special tests and exam to know the level of the children; learning activities themselves provide the basis for such ongoing observational and qualitative assessments of children. Daily observation and review helps in continuous and comprehensive evaluation.

3. Assessment At Different Stages

Classes I and II of the Elementary Stage:

At this stage, according to CBSE and ICSE, assessment must be purely qualitative. Judgments of children’s activities in various domains and an assessment of their academic growth and physical development, based on observations through everyday interactions should be analyzed.

On no account should they be made to take any form of test, oral or written.


Classes III and VIII of the Elementary Stage:

A variety of methods may be used, including oral and written tests and observations. Children should be aware that they are being assessed, but this must be seen by them as a part of teaching- learning process and not as a fearful constant threat. Rather than examinations, there could be short tests from time to time, which are criterion based. This is exactly what we do.


Term-wise examinations could be commenced from class-VI onwards when children are more psychologically ready to study large chunks of material and, to spend a few hours in an examination room, working at answering questions.