CBSE is an acronym related to the Indian education system and its full form is the Central Board of Secondary Education. CBSE is a national board of Indian education for both public and private schools. The Union government of India takes control over it.
CBSE-affiliated schools only follow the NCERT curriculum for the syllabus. It conducts board examinations for class 10th and 12th every year and these exams are called AISSE and AISSCE respectively. CBSE is also known to conduct other examinations such as the National Eligibility Test (NET) and the IIT entrance exam.
Core function of CBSE as one of the national Boards of Assessment is to conduct certificate examination at the end of secondary and senior secondary classes. It is essential that the Board ensures validity and reliability of its assessment instruments to achieve these goal. In the recent past, the Board has been taking many steps to upgrade itself in the field of Assessment and Evaluation. A dedicated Assessment Centre is being established within the Board to focus on the quality of Assessment and Evaluation. As part of this endeavour, a comprehensive study of Assessment Instruments used in AISSE 2020 was carried out in collaboration with Azim Premji University, Bengaluru. One of the recommendations of the study is to develop standards for item development. These standards are expected to facilitate validity and reliability of assessment instruments.
Keeping this in mind, this Handbook on Assessment and Item development has been developed by the Board in collaboration with Azim Premji University and Central Square Foundation. It details out the standard operating procedures in the development of assessment instruments by incorporating best international practices. It also elaborates the underlying principles on test item development and provides guidelines for item developers and reviewers.
To facilitate the process of item development and quality assurance, checklists and templates have been provided in the Handbook. I am sure that the examination functionaries involved in the item development process shall be immensely benefited by this handbook. It is also expected that inputs from this document are used by practising teachers for school-based formative and summative assessments.
The government of India founded a co-operative board named “Board of High School and Intermediate Education, Rajputana”.
It was started before the independence of India in the year 1929. This board covered the regions of Ajmer, Merwara, Gwalior, and central India.
at that time, it was bound to only Ajmer, Vindhya Pradesh, and Bhopal.
In 1952 the government named this board “Central Board of Secondary Education” which is the present-day CBSE.
CBSE as the Union body focuses on a better education eco-system for both students and teachers. Its primary objectives are as follow –
The New Education Policy aims to provide quality and equitable education to all children in India. Some of the key highlights of the policy are as follows:
The New education system in India 2020 introduced a 5+3+3+4 education structure. The 5+3+3+4 education structure is a major change from the previous education system in India, which was a 10+2 system. In the new system, students will spend more time in school overall, but the number of years spent in each stage of education will be reduced.
Below is the detailed overview of the new education structure:
The foundation stage will comprise the first 5 years of a child’s schooling. In the first 3 years of education, children will be taught in Anganwadi, Balvatika or community-based nurseries. The other 2 years of schooling include multilevel, play/ activity-based learning, during which they will develop the basic skills and knowledge required for learning.
The preparatory stage will be from age 8 to 11 and focus on foundational learning, including developing basic literacy and numeracy skills among students. The preparatory stage will help students develop their understanding of concepts in various subjects.
The middle stage will be from age 11 to 14 years. During the middle stage, students will be expected to develop core academic skills such as reading, writing, and basic language competencies. They will also be expected to develop life skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, and critical thinking.
The secondary stage will be from age 14 to 18. During this stage, students will be expected to complete a core curriculum consisting of English, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies.
In addition, they will have the opportunity to choose from a range of electives, including languages, arts, and vocational subjects. The secondary stage aims to provide students with the skills and knowledge they need to prepare for further education or enter the workforce.
Under the new National Education Policy, significant changes have been made to the school education system in India. Some of the most notable changes are:
The NEP focuses on providing universal access to education at all levels, from preschool to higher education. It aims to provide better education to all, particularly those who were previously denied such opportunities.
To reduce the number of dropouts, colleges and schools are looking for ways to attract more applicants and keep the ones they have. They are also taking the opportunity to help those who do not attend college and provide them with the skills needed to thrive in the workforce. Various approaches can facilitate multiple learning paths that involve formal and non-formal education modes.
Grade 3, 5 and 8 students will get open learning and open schools with no charge to the parents. The equivalent secondary school grade levels, 10 and 12, will also be available to all. There will be no tuition charged to them either. The introduction of vocational courses in the school curriculum aims to increase students’ employability by exposing them to new skills.
The new curriculum for early childhood care and education (NEP) is planning to replace the 10+2 education system with a 5+3+3+4 structure. This would entail 12 years of schooling, with the first five years focused on foundational learning, three years of preparatory stage schooling, three years of middle stage schooling, and four years of secondary stage education.
The new early childhood care and education curriculum has been designed to provide a better balance between the old and the new curriculum. The new structure will also correspond with the new age-appropriate developmental stages of learning so that children can be better prepared for kindergarten and beyond.
In addition, the curriculum will be more flexible, allowing for more individualized instruction and tailoring to the needs of each child.
The new education policy 2020 has brought about many changes in school education. Some of the major changes are listed below:
These are just some of the many proposed changes that are set to transform school education in India. Implementing these changes will require a concerted effort from all teachers, including parents, students, and the government. But if successful, they have the potential to improve the quality of children’s education in India significantly.
According to the National Education Policy, the Ministry of Human Resource Development plans to establish a National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy in India.
The states will be responsible for implementing a program to attain foundational literacy and numeracy for students till class 3 in all primary schools. Each state will decide on their course of action, which could include changing its education policy.
To improve teaching quality, a comprehensive reform plan is being implemented in India. This includes creating a single teacher evaluation system and common national professional standards. It also aims to improve the quality of education and students’ lives.
The NEP (New Education Policy) aims to increase the GER (Gross Enrolment Ratio) from 26.3% to 50%. This policy would require increasing the number of students studying in higher education and expanding the number of university places.
The policy gives a comprehensive, interdisciplinary, and broad-based college education with flexible study plans, more choices in choosing subjects, and more flexibility to leave the course with an accredited degree. It will now be possible for undergrads to choose the number of years they want with the appropriate degree.
The Higher Education Commission of India will have a board, an interim committee, an Academic Council, and a technical committee. The Prime Minister of India will chair the Interim Committee. There will be 14 members, seven of them elected from the general public. The Board will be in charge of all government universities. The Interim Committee will be in charge of the day-to-day running of the Board.
The NEP 2020 proposes a rationalized institutional architecture for the education system, ensuring that all institutions are aligned with the National Education Goals. Under this architecture, the National Higher Education Regulatory Authority (NHERA) will be the apex body for regulating all higher education institutions), except medical and legal colleges.
The NHERA will replace the existing University Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), and National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).
The National Higher Education Regulatory Authority (NHERA) will be responsible for accreditation, quality assurance, and promoting research and innovation. NHERA will work with the National Accreditation Board (NAB) to ensure that all higher education institutions (HEIs) are accredited.
NHERA will also develop quality assurance standards and procedures to be followed by all HEIs. In addition, NHERA will promote research and innovation in higher education by developing policies and programmes.
The new National Education Policy 2020 (NEP) aims to provide quality education to all children in India, regardless of their socioeconomic status. The NEP seeks to improve educational outcomes by making schools more accountable and providing more resources and support to disadvantaged students. The NEP also aims to increase access to higher education and make it more affordable.
To achieve these goals, the NEP proposes several reforms, including: