Why is it in the news?

• PARAKH, a standard-setting body under NCERT, has launched the Holistic Progress Card (HPC), integrating parent, peer, and self-assessment feedback to facilitate ongoing monitoring of students’ holistic development.

Key Features

 Targeted Classes:

• The HPC caters to students across various educational stages, including the foundational stage (Classes 1 and 2), preparatory stage (Classes 3 to 5), and middle stage (Classes 6 to 8).
• Plans are in progress to extend the framework to cover the secondary stage as well, ensuring comprehensive assessment throughout a student’s educational journey.

Evaluation Parameters:

• Beyond traditional academic metrics, the HPC assesses students on a range of holistic development parameters which include self-awareness, interpersonal relationships, problem-solving abilities, emotional intelligence, and creativity.
• After completing each activity, students engage in reflective exercises, circling statements that indicate their personal growth and development, fostering a deeper understanding of their progress beyond academic achievements.

Self-assessment:

• All students, from the foundational stage to the middle stage, actively participate in self-assessment exercises.
• In the middle stage, students are encouraged to set academic and personal goals at the beginning of the academic year, providing a roadmap for their development.
• The introduction of an “ambition card” in the middle stage facilitates goal-setting and encourages students to identify areas for improvement along with the necessary skills and habits to achieve their objectives.

Parental Involvement:

• Parents play a crucial role in the assessment process by providing feedback on various aspects of their child’s learning journey.
• They offer insights on homework completion, classroom engagement, and their child’s ability to balance screen time with extracurricular activities at home, thereby fostering a collaborative approach between home and school.

Peer Evaluation:

• Peer evaluation is integrated into the assessment methodology, enabling students to assess their classmates’ participation and engagement in learning activities.
• This peer feedback mechanism encourages collaboration, accountability, and a sense of community among students, promoting a supportive learning environment.