CBSE Introduces Changes in Assessment and Evaluation Based on National Education Policy 2020

Under the updated guidelines, there has been a deliberate focus on incorporating a higher proportion of competency-focused questions...

Digital Desk: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has recently unveiled significant changes in its assessment and evaluation methodologies, aligning them with the directives outlined in the National Education Policy of 2020. These revisions mark a notable departure from the traditional approach, emphasizing a transition towards a more competency-based assessment framework while reducing the emphasis on constructed response questions.

“The format will now be based on more competency-based questions and fewer constructed response questions,” AIR noted.

Under the updated guidelines, there has been a deliberate focus on incorporating a higher proportion of competency-focused questions across various formats, such as Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), case-based inquiries, source-based integrated questions, and others, particularly in Class 11 and 12. 

This adjustment sees the percentage of competency-based questions elevated from 40% to 50%, reflecting a strategic shift towards evaluating students' holistic understanding and application of concepts.

The proportion of constructed response questions, encompassing both short answer and long answer types, has been scaled back from 40% to 30% for the academic sessions commencing in 2024–25. This reduction underscores a concerted effort to streamline assessment practices, placing greater emphasis on assessing critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and practical application of knowledge rather than rote memorization or regurgitation of information.

While the weight assigned to select response-type questions remains consistent at 20%, the composition of question papers for year-end examinations in classes 9 and 10 remains unchanged for the upcoming academic session. “No changes have been made to the composition of question papers for year-end examination for classes 9 and 10 for the new academic session 2024-25,” AIR further added.