Present Evaluation System Prevalent in Secondary Stage under SEBA

Present Evaluation System Prevalent in Secondary Stage under SEBA

By Santa Singh Subba 

Evaluation is a continuous process of education. It is an act or process of assigning ‘value’ to particular task. It is not only occurred with the academic achievement of the student but also assessment of a student’s progress towards stated objectives, effectiveness of the curriculum and best practices of Method of teaching or teaching learning process as a whole. Evaluation is more comprehensive term rather than measurement.

Few years ago it was the common issue regarding the evaluation system followed by CBSE and SEBA; parents, the common people and even the teachers were not in favor of the then examination system prevailed in the schools under SEBA. A common allegation was that the students passed out through the examination system of SEBA can’t compete in national level examination. Time has passed, modernization in whole education system is going on, the Board of Secondary Education Assam is not far from it. It has been changing its regional policies with the proper guidance of the central nodal agency to make education of Assam more productive with its changing scenario. An attempt is made here to visualize the present evaluation system in Secondary stage under SEBA under the following headings.

1. Continuous and comprehensive evaluation: CCE was a process of assessment, mandated by the Right to Education Act, of India in 2009. This approach to assessment had been introduced by state governments in India for students of sixth to tenth grades and twelfth in some schools. In Assam, SEBA is currently introducing CCE in secondary level through its two basic components:

            A. Evaluation of pupils in the scholastic areas (the areas of teaching and learning) and

B. Evaluation of pupils in the co-scholastic areas (the areas of work experience, games and sports, literary, art and cultural activities, Scouts and Guides, moral education yoga and general conduct)

A. Evaluation of scholastic area:  It consist of four Unit Test, Half Yearly Examination, Annual Examination and Preparatory Examination.

            i. Unit Tests: Two Unit Test will be held before the Half Yearly Examination and to after the Half Yearly Examination. Unit Test should be held in 5^th/6^th period. On Saturday it should be held in 4^th period.  

            ii. Half Yearly Examination, Annual Examination and Preparatory Examination:

iii. Evaluation of Oral English: For Unit Tests in English five short answer type questions of 2 marks each i.e., 2*5=10 and remaining 2 marks to be used for evaluation in oral English.

For Half Yearly, Annual and Preparatory Exam. 10% marks allotted for Internal Assessment (Oral English 6 & projects 4 marks).

            iv. Internal Assessment in Mathematics:

·         10% marks.

·         In Class IX: 5%  from Half Yearly Internal + 5% from Internal Assessment of Annual Examination = 10%

·         In Class X: 5% of Half Yearly Internal Assessment 5% Internal Assessment as the time convenience.

v. Internal Assessment (IA) in General Science: There will be the Science Practical and the marking pattern of IA is same as in Mathematics (as mentioned in the above point).

vi. Social Science for class IX and X: Project component on Environmental Studies of 10 marks. The Pass marks in social Science is 30, theory and project combined. However, student must obtain minimum 27 marks (30% of 90) in theory paper.

B. Evaluation of pupils in the co-scholastic areas: It comprises of the following components –

Ø  Work Experience: It includes activities such as gardening, bamboo work, wood work, tailoring, knitting, embroidery, paper work, clay-modeling, tree plantation, beautification of school campus and other activities.

Ø  Games and Sports: Two periods per week to be allotted. The school to provide the facilities for important games like football, volley-ball, tennis, cricket etc. and sports like athletics, swimming, yoga and drill including Scouts and Guides.

Ø  Literary, Art and Cultural Activities: Includes debating, creative writing, quiz, recitation, drawing, painting, dramatics, music, dancing etc.

Ø  Assessment of co-scholastic activities: Three assessments in an Academic Year for co-scholastic activities. Students are to be evaluated in grades. The grades should be as follow: A = Excellent  B= Good    C= Average     D= Fair                                                            E= Poor

2. Formation of Evaluation sub-committee: SEBA is in the strict line for the formation of Evaluation sub-committee and CCE sub-committee. Both committees are responsible to deal with planning and holding of all examination and monitoring, declaration of results, registration of class IX students, filling up of examination form etc.

3. Question and Marking Pattern: A recent changed in the question pattern with regards to mark is seen in the schools run under SEBA. Four major subject including, English, Gen. Math, Gen. Science and Social Science have the theory paper of 90 marks in Half Yearly/ Annual/Preparatory and 10 marks for Internal. Evaluation conducted under SEBA follows primarily four types of question pattern, i.e., Long Answer, Short Answer, Very Short Answer and Objective type and the marks are allotted according to the question.

4. SEBA is giving more importance on fraudulent check measures. SEBA becomes the first state Board of North East India to adopt Dandy Water Mark on answer script. Calling it as “One of the highest forms of security features,” concerned that it is not possible to generate it easily or duplicate, as these watermarks are produced as a result of a highly technical process. Also, the dandy watermarks cannot be replicated when the answer sheet is photocopied or scanned, adding an additional layer of safety. 

References:  

1. Ishmirekha Handique Konwar and Surajit Borah: Assessment and Evaluation. (Saraswati     

    Prakashan, Golaghat, Assam).

2. Academic Calendar, SEBA, Assam.