Panaji: The traditional system of evaluating school students purely based on marks is set to be completely replaced in government and aided schools in Goa from the academic year 2027-28. In preparation for the new system introduced under National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Goa State Council for Educational Research and Training (GSCERT) will replace traditional report cards with digital holistic progress cards in selected government schools from this academic year on a pilot basis.
Pilot Program and Implementation Timeline
GSCERT director Meghana Shetgaonkar said that under NEP, these holistic progress cards are to be introduced for all school students, but the council waited for the digital cards to be introduced from this academic year to start the implementation. She explained that under the new system, students will be assessed on 60 different parameters, and the digital cards make this task easier for teachers by reducing paperwork.
“We will introduce digital holistic progress cards in the later half of this academic year in selected government schools on a pilot basis and introduce them in all schools from next academic year. It is a NEP requirement as these holistic progress cards record every aspect of the child’s academic, physical and social development. There will be peer analysis, assessment by teachers, inputs taken from parents,” said Shetgaonkar.
She added that while manual holistic progress cards were introduced last year at the central level, Goa wanted to give time to teachers to adjust to the new curriculum changes first.
Features of the Holistic Progress Card
The holistic progress card replaces traditional marksheets with multidimensional evaluations. It shifts focus away from rote learning, tracking a student’s cognitive, behavioural, health and life-skill development alongside academic performance.
- Multidimensional Assessment: Measures practical skills, creativity, behavioural values and physical development.
- Collaborative Feedback: Gathers input directly from peers, parents and students alongside teacher observations.
- Competency Tracking: Focuses on real-world application rather than exam scores.
- Health Indicators: Records key health metrics such as height, weight and fitness levels, ensuring regular monitoring of physical development.
Continuous Assessment Approach
Teachers will assess students throughout the academic session by observing their classroom participation, activities and behaviour, rather than relying on periodic examinations. Continuous assessments will allow teachers to comprehend each child’s learning curve in a better way.
The new system is expected to reduce the pressure of scoring high marks while helping teachers identify individual strengths and weaknesses more effectively. Officials said that the initiative could bring several benefits, including personalised attention for students and clearer communication with parents about a child’s progress.
