Maharashtra to get assessment cell to improve teaching, learning

The cell will be formed by the State Council for Educational Research and Training (SCERT) under the Strengthening Teaching Learning and Results for States (STARS), for which six states have been identified based on the Performance Grading Index (PGI).

The 16-member cell will have 10 subject experts  along with psychometricians and evaluation experts along with data analysts. With focus on enhancing the quality of assessment, the SAC will develop question-banks, exam patterns and evaluation modes along with training of teachers to conduct exams to meet new international standards.

An SCERT official said, “We are focusing on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) abilities of students, post-pandemic. There are some students who have better academic records than others… it is important to encourage others with challenging questions and evaluation methods.”

The SAC with expert support will develop a state-level question bank to assess students on application-based knowledge as opposed to memory-based evaluation prevalent in most schools, the official said, adding, “It will also create various tests and practice materials for Maharashtra school students to perform well at national as well as international levels of exams.”

According to SCERT, the SAC will play an important role in training of teachers too. “Evaluation plays a very important role in the process of teaching and learning. Quality assessment that will ensure a 360-degree evaluation will definitely enhance the quality of education in the state,” said the official.