The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is advocating for the implementation of a new student progress card system called the Holistic Progress Card.

This project aligns with the National Education Policy 2020 and aims to provide a more comprehensive assessment of student growth through class 8.

Holistic Progress Card: Revolutionizing Student Assessment in Alignment with NEP 2020

PARAKH (Performance Evaluation, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development), a national evaluation board under NCERT, created the HPC. The card covers three educational stages: foundational (classes 1 and 2), preparatory (classes 3–5), and middle (classes 6–8).

Last year, the HPC implemented a pilot program in select schools in partnership with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). The NCERT is now asking states and union territories to implement the HPC system for the 2024 academic year.

The HPC goes beyond traditional report cards that primarily focus on academic performance. It incorporates feedback from peers, parents, and self-assessments by students to track progress across various domains throughout the year. These domains include physical development, social and emotional well-being, literacy skills, academic performance, and other relevant areas.

Indrani Bhaduri, CEO of PARAKH, underlines the advantages of the HPC system. She emphasizes the card's capacity to chronicle a student's accomplishments in a variety of areas and develop a deeper relationship between parents and schools. The inclusion of parent-teacher meetings is meant to promote active parental involvement in their child's overall development.

holistic progress card
Image Source: LinkedIn

The HPC system's widespread implementation continues to pose challenges. A considerable number of teachers must be trained in the new evaluation methodologies. PARAKH has launched training programs for faculty members from state educational research councils, district education institutes, and master trainers in each state. These master trainers will subsequently be accountable for passing on the knowledge to other instructors in their respective states.

The HPC system is being digitized in order to improve data collecting and reporting efficiency. PARAKH is also building a framework for implementing the HPC system in grades 9 through 12

While the HPC system represents a progressive approach to student evaluation, administrators recognize the time required for complete implementation. The HPC system's success will rely heavily on widespread teacher training, family awareness campaigns, and a gradual rollout approach.

Several governments have already begun translating the HPC materials into their respective regional languages, displaying their dedication to this project.

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