New move under NEP-2020: UP Board to assess creativity of Classes 9, 10 students

In a first, the Prayagraj-headquartered UP Board has decided to also start assessing the creativity of around 50 lakh students enrolled in Classes 9 and 10 in over 27,000 schools affiliated to it across the state from the ongoing academic session. In the coming months, it could also be introduced for students of Classes 11 and 12.

As part of the present initiative, creative assessment system has been implemented by the Board under the new National Education Policy (NEP)-2020 for students of Classes 9 and 10 from the 2023-24 academic session itself, Board officials said.

Following the move, the students of Classes 9 and 10 will undergo creative assessment for various subjects including Hindi, English, Mathematics, Social Science, Science, Sanskrit, Urdu, Home Science, Painting, Commerce and Music (vocal and instrumental), they added.

UP Board secretary Dibyakant Shukla, in a missive sent to all district inspectors of schools (DIoSs) on October 18, has directed that creative assessment of students should be ensured as per the provisions given in section 4.34 of NEP-2020.

The missive, a copy of which is with HT, informs the officials that material concerning the way to move forward for creative assessment of the students in the specified subjects have been prepared and uploaded on the official website of the board upmsp.edu.in.

“Instruct principals of all recognised secondary schools in your respective districts to download the guidelines and the material from the UP Board’s official website regarding implementing the creative assessment of students and ensure their implementation,” the missive adds.

NEP-2020 lays particular emphasis on the development of the creative potential of each individual. It is based on the principle that education must develop not only cognitive capacities - both the ‘foundational capacities ’of literacy and numeracy and ‘higher-order’ cognitive capacities, such as critical thinking and problem solving – but also social, ethical, and emotional capacities and dispositions.

NEP-2020’s section 4.34 cited by the UP Board secretary in his missive states: The aim of assessment in the culture of our schooling system will shift from one that is summative and primarily tests rote memorization skills to one that is more regular and formative, is more competency-based, promotes learning and development for our students, and tests higher-order skills, such as analysis, critical thinking, and conceptual clarity. The primary purpose of assessment will indeed be for learning; it will help the teacher and student, and the entire schooling system, continuously revise teaching-learning processes to optimize learning and development for all students. This will be the underlying principle for assessment at all levels of education.

UP Board had organised a workshop in 2022 and prepared a format to include subject-wise tools and techniques of creative assessment and activities like debate, group discussions, making models, charts, visual presentations, role-play etc. Its marks will not be added to the marksheet of the students but will play an important role in determining the career path of the children. Feedback will be given to parents by the respective schools during the teacher-parent meetings (PTMs).