What is NCERT PARAKH? Know the Objective, Significance, and Other Details

The Ministry of Education works in an ever-ending process towards the betterment of the students and youth of India. With the implementation of the NEP 2020 in the education system of India, there have been amendments and improvements in a very impactful way. PARAKH is one of the most innovative moves in this direction.

Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development; abbreviated as PARAKH is something that needs to be discussed. Here in this article, we will talk about PARAKH in detail. So, let us delve into it:

Through Notification No. 1-4/2012-EC/ 101-164 of NCERT dated February 8, 2023, the National Assessment Center-PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development)-was established within NCERT as an independent constituent unit. Its primary goals are to establish norms, standards, and guidelines, and carry out student assessment-related activities in addition to other tasks as required by Paragraph 4.4.1 of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. For PARAKH, there are four primary categories of priority:

• Capacity Development in Competency-Based Assessment
• Large-Scale Achievement Survey
• Equivalence of School Boards
• Holistic Progress Cards for the Foundational, Preparational, Middle and Secondary Stages.

PARAKH consists of several activities that are as follows:

1. Capacity Development in Competency-Based Assessment:

Under Project Vidyasagar, PARAKH, in collaboration with the PhD Chamber of Commerce (PhDCC), is organizing a series of workshops across all States and Union Territories of India. These workshops aim to disseminate learning competencies at the Foundational, Preparatory, Middle, and Secondary Levels in alignment with the National Curriculum Framework 2023 (NCF, 2023). The initiative seeks to acquaint teacher educators and teachers with the pedagogical and policy changes introduced in the NCF 2023, ensuring that gaps in the implementation of competency-based learning and teaching are effectively addressed.

2. Large-Scale Achievement Survey:

Another prominent activity under PARAKH is the Large-Scale Achievement Survey. PARAKH has been tasked with organizing large-scale achievement surveys to periodically monitor and evaluate the educational progress of the country. In line with this mandate, PARAKH collaborated with States and Union Territories to conduct the State Educational Achievement Survey on November 3, 2023. This survey assessed students in Grades 3, 6, and 9 to measure competencies in Foundational Literacy, Foundational Numeracy, Language, and Mathematics at the end of the foundational, preparatory, and middle stages, using educational blocks as the assessment units. The survey was conducted in 30 States and UTs, covering a sample of approximately 8 million students. Due to assembly elections, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh conducted the assessment later, on December 7 and 13 respectively, bringing the total sample size to around 8.5 million learners.

3. Equivalence of School Boards:

One of the most important tasks under PARAKH is the equivalence of the School Boards across the nation. PARAKH is collaborating with school education boards to develop recommendations for examination reforms. Achieving equivalence across all Indian boards will allow for the allocation of credit points to various forms of learning, including academic, vocational, and experiential.

To advance this goal, PARAKH organized regional workshops from June to August 2023, where data was collected from various boards on administration, curriculum, assessments, and infrastructure. Two tools were used for data collection: the Equivalence Questionnaire and the Question Paper Template Analysis. After thorough analysis, a report was generated to identify areas needing attention to achieve equivalence. Following this, two national-level workshops were held in November and December 2023, where all boards were invited to review the report and provide feedback. These discussions are now being used to draft policy recommendations for achieving equivalence.

Through these initiatives, PARAKH is setting norms, standards, and guidelines for student assessment and implementing activities in key areas, aiming for significant changes over time.

4. Holistic Progress Cards for the Foundational, Preparational, Middle and Secondary Stages:

The main aim of any education system is the holistic development of the learners and students. This approach to education aids in the betterment of the individuals that will at large benefit society and the country. Keeping this in focus, PARAKH has completed the development of HPCs for the foundational, preparatory, and middle stages. The focus is now on creating the HPC for the secondary stage to ensure that assessments remain competency-based and holistic.