Students may be rated on skills to read maps, file FIR

NEW DELHI: Can your child in class 8 demonstrate how to file a First Information Report (FIR)? Can he/ she read train or bus tickets and timetables, currency notes and directions to locate places on the map, signboards? Can he/she also speak to guests in English, interview people by asking questions about the work they do? Can your child in class 7 locate their constituency on a parliamentary constituency map of the state/UT and name the local MP? Is your child in class 4 able to read subtitles on TV, titles of books, news headlines, pamphlets and advertisements?

These are some of the learning outcomes prepared by the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and your child may soon be assessed against these and other such benchmarks which may affect his/her chances of advancing to the next class.

Draft learning outcomes for each class have been developed for languages — Hindi, English and Urdu, Mathematics, Environmental studies, science, and social science.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has made the draft public for suggestions and comment still the end of the month. These outcomes may be included in Right to Education (RTE) too.

The NCERT has also suggested ways of teaching students by incorporating a pedagogical process that included watching and discussing the Rajya Sabha TV show Samvidhan and watching movies like Gandhi, Sardar and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar.

For instance, a class 8 student will be assessed on whether he/ she can file an FIR or explain the functioning of the judicial system in India.

For English, a student will be assessed whether they can introduce guests in English and interview people. It will also be gauged whether the student engages in conversations in English with people from different professions using the appropriate vocabulary.

“Uses formulaic/polite expressions such as ‘May I borrow your book?’, ‘I would like to differ’ etc to communicate,” states the draft.

The move is aimed at making a shift from rote learning and to ensure there are clear parameters to judge student performance, especially with states being given the mandate to revoke the no-detention policy, under which a student is promoted automatically.