Introduction
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 stresses the importance of developing critical and creative thinking skills in students rather than rote learning. To align with the vision of the NEP, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has taken multiple steps towards implementing competency-focused education in schools. These steps include aligning assessments to competencies, providing exemplar resources for teachers and students, and continuous capacity building of teachers.
Circulars Released by CBSE
To progressively align assessments to the NEP’s vision, CBSE released guidelines through multiple circulars. Circular No. Acad- 05/2019 dated 18.01.2019, Circular No. Acad-11/2019 dated 06.03.2019, Circular No. Acad-18/2020 dated 16.03.2020, and Circular No.Acad-57/2022 dated 20.05.2022 provide instructions for the inclusion of more competency-based questions in Class X and XII board exams.
Changes in Examination and Assessment Practices
In the academic session 2023-24, CBSE is initiating further changes in examination and assessment practices to align them with competency-focused education. In the forthcoming session, a greater number of competency-based questions or questions that assess the application of concepts in real-life situations will be a part of the question paper.
Changes for Classes IX-XII (2023-24) For classes IX-X, the composition of the question paper for the year-end examination or board examination (theory) will be as follows:
- Competency-focused questions in the form of MCQs, case-based questions, source-based integrated questions, or any other type will account for 50% of the total marks.
- Select response type questions (MCQs) will account for 20% of the total marks.
- Constructed response questions (short answer/long answer type questions) will account for 30% of the total marks.
(Classes IX-X)
| Particulars | Academic Session 2022-23 | Academic Session 2023-24 |
|---|---|---|
| Composition of question paper year-end exam/Board Exam (Theory) | ||
| Competency Based Questions | 40% | 50% |
| Objective Questions | 20% | 20% |
| Short Answer/Long Answer Questions | 40% | 30% |
| Competency Focused Questions in the form of MCQs/Case Based Questions, Source-based Integrated Questions, or any other type | – | 50% |
| Select response type questions (MCQ) | – | 20% |
| Constructed response questions (Short Answer/Long Answer type Questions, as per existing pattern) | – | 30% |
Note: The table represents the changes in the composition of the question paper for the academic session 2023-24 for classes IX-X
For classes XI-XII, the composition of the question paper for the year-end examination or board examination (theory) will be as follows:
- Competency-focused questions in the form of MCQs, case-based questions, source-based integrated questions, or any other type will account for 40% of the total marks.
- Select response type questions (MCQs) will account for 20% of the total marks.
- Constructed response questions (short answer/long answer type questions) will account for 40% of the total marks.
(Classes XI-XII)
| Particulars | Academic Session 2022-23 | Academic Session 2023-24 |
|---|---|---|
| Composition of question paper in year-end examination/ Board Examination (Theory) | ||
| Competency Based Questions | 30% in the form of Multiple-Choice Questions, Case Based Questions, Source Based Integrated Questions or any other type. | Competency Focused Questions in the form of MCQs/Case Based Questions, Source-based Integrated Questions or any other type = 40% |
| Objective Questions | 20% | Select response type questions(MCQ) = 20% |
| Short Answer/Long Answer Questions | 50% | Constructed response questions (Short Answer Questions/Long Answer type Questions, as per existing pattern) = 40% |
Resources for Teachers and Students CBSE has released a curriculum document for the academic session 2023-24, which provides details of the question paper design for individual subjects. Sample question papers are also available for reference. Learning frameworks for various subjects for classes IX-XII are available at https://cbseacademic.nic.in.
Conclusion The changes in examination and assessment practices are a significant step towards competency-focused education. The inclusion of more competency-based questions will encourage students to apply their knowledge to real-life situations and develop critical and creative thinking skills.
