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PARAKH

1st November, 2022

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In News

  • According to unofficial sources, 3 global educational non-profits institutions: Educational Testing Services (ETS), American Institutes for Research (AIR) and the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) have expressed interest to help in setting up India’s first national school-level examination and assessment regulator.
    • Educational Testing Services (ETS) is internationally recognised for conducting Tests on English as a Foreign Language.
    • American Institutes for Research (AIR) and the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) are leading names in research on behavioural and social science domains and learning assessment studies.

 

Background

  • Recently the Union government announced to release of a “benchmark framework” to evaluate students' performance at the secondary and higher secondary level.
  • The main objective of the framework is to ensure “uniformity” across the state and central boards which presently follow different criteria for evaluation.
  • The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) discussed the “common assessment framework” with the representatives of state boards and State Councils of Educational Research and Training (SCERTs).
    • They suggested setting up a new assessment regulator ‘PARAKH’.

 

About PARAKH

  • Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development (PARAKH) would act as a division of the NCERT.
  • The benchmark assessment framework will end the stress on rote learning.
  • It will establish norms, standards and guidelines for assessment and evaluation for all recognized school boards in India.
  • It will encourage and help school boards to develop their assessments programme to meet the skill requirements of the 21st century.
  • It will carry periodic learning outcome tests like the National Achievement Survey (NAS) and State Achievement Surveys.
  • The government is expecting that the National Achievement Survey (NAS) in 2024 will be conducted by PARAKH.
  • It will guide the State Achievement Surveys and monitor the achievement of learning outcomes in the country.
  • PARAKH, the proposed implementing agency, is also part of the National Education Policy (NEP) proposal.

 

Highlights of New Education Policy 2020

  • The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 was released in July 2020.
  • NEP 2020 will replace the National Policy on Education, 1986.
  • It aims at ensuring Universal Access at All Levels of schooling from pre-primary school to Grade 12.
  • It Ensures quality early childhood care and education for all children between 3-6 years.
  • It introduced a New Curricular and Pedagogical Structure (5+3+3+4).
    • 5 years of foundational stage (for ages 3 to 8).
    • 3 years of preparatory stage (for ages 8 to 11 or classes 3 to 5).
    • 3 years of middle stage (for ages 11 to 14 or classes 6 to 8).
    • 4 years of secondary stage (for ages 14 to 18 or classes 9 to 12).
  • No strict separations between arts and sciences, between curricular and extracurricular activities, and between vocational and academic streams.
  • To establish a National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy.
  • Promoting multilingualism and Indian languages.
  • Reform in Assessment of Board Exams. Setting up a new National Assessment Centre, PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development).
  • Special priority is given to socially and Economically Disadvantaged Groups.
  • A separate Gender Inclusion fund and Special Education Zones for disadvantaged regions and groups;
  • A transparent process for recruitment of teachers and merit-based performance assessment.
  • Ensuring availability of all resources through school complexes and clusters.
  • Setting up of the State School Standards Authority.
  • Promoting Vocational education in school and higher education systems.
  • Increasing Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education to 50%.
  • Multidisciplinary Education with multiple entry/exit options.
  • Establishment of Academic Bank of Credit
  • Setting up of Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities.
  • Setting up of the National Research Foundation.
  • Expansion of open and distance learning to increase GER.
  • Teacher Education - 4-year integrated stage-specific, subject-specific Bachelor of Education
  • All higher education institutions (HEIs) will be restructured into 3 categories:
    • Research universities focus equally on research and teaching.
    • Teaching universities focus primarily on teaching.
    • Degree-granting colleges primarily focused on undergraduate teaching.
  • Multiple mechanisms with checks and balances will combat and stop the commercialization of higher education.
  • All education institutions will be held to similar standards of audit and disclosure as not-for-profit entities.
  • The Centre and the States will work together to increase public investment in the Education sector to reach 6% of GDP at the earliest.
  • Strengthening of the Central Advisory Board of Education to ensure coordination to bring overall focus on quality education.

 Objectives of NEP 2020

  • Reforms in curriculum content.
  • The medium of instruction should be in the child's local language/mother tongue. The current three-language formula will continue to be implemented.  
  • Reform in the overall assessment process
  • Teacher training and management.
  • Ensure effective governance of schools.
  • Increasing Gross Enrolment Ratio to 50% by 2035 (It was 26.3% in 2018).
  • Restructuring of institutions.
  • Multidisciplinary education.
  • Improving research.
  • Promoting Digital education.

https://indianexpress.com/article/education/ncert-proposal-for-parakh-global-bodies-express-interest-in-setting-up-school-exam-regulator-8239636/

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