Assessment, not exam, in standard 9th, from June 2011

Gujarat state secondary board has taken a decision to replace existing examination system with introduction of assessment procedure in standard 9th from June 2011. The decision would affect 0.9 million students of 14,000 secondary schools across the state.

A successful pilot project in this regard was implemented in 75 schools of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar in 9th standard with provision of two semesters, one each of six months. This pilot project attracted overwhelming response of students, parents and those experts supervising it.

The procedure of creating a new syllabus to implement same system in standard 6th, 7th, and 8th for about 14 lakh students has been started with target of 15 June – 2012 as implementation date.

According to the new system, there will be two semester in one year. Ten subjects of standard 9th will be parted in two sections. First section would be about creativity, and another would contain practical subjects such as Computer, Music, Drawing etc. Indicator system will replace the existing marks based system in practical subjects.

Assessment system will not involve pen, paper or pencil. Whatever the student understands, he/she reflects in assessment process, his/her project work, quiz, assignment, tour, oral questions, and practical work etc will occupy 40% weightage. Summery assessment will contain summery with optional questionnaire. This would occupy 60% weightage and will be assessed in two parts.

Students of 9th will not need to face annual exam. During the semester, grade and percentile will gradually convert into rank.