HRD seeks feedback to measure ‘learning curve’ of students

THE HRD Ministry on Monday released a draft document detailing learning indicators for students of Classes I to VIII. The indicators aim to standardise the parameters used for measuring the learning curve of students.

The government has sought public feedback on the document prepared by the National Council for Education Research and Training (NCERT) by the end of this month. These indicators will become enforceable once the HRD Ministry includes under Rule 23(2) (c) of the Right to Education Act.

According to sources, the government will study public feedback and, if necessary, make changes to the indicators, after which it will seek approval from the Law Ministry to amend the RTE Rules to introduce learning outcomes.

The move comes after the Central Advisory Board of Education — the highest advisory body on education — resolved this year to “codify learning outcomes” under the RTE Act. To start with, learning indicators have been finalised for eight subjects — English, Hindi, Urdu, Mathematics, EVS (Environmental Science), Science and Social Sciences. A common practice globally, this is the first time learning indicators will be used in India to assess children.

“Learning outcomes are assessment standards indicating the expected levels of learning that children should achieve for that class. These outcomes can be used as check points to assess learning at different points of time. The learning outcomes would help teachers to understand the learning levels of children in their respective classes individually as well as collectively. Learning outcomes should be the point of reference for conducting achievement surveys. Hence it is necessary that the defined Learning Outcomes are also shared with parents and community at large,” the document states.

Learning indicators for languages — English, Urdu and Hindi — have been finetuned to include goals a child should be able to achieve in writing, reading, listening and speaking the languages.

For example, learning indicators in writing for a Class I student assess not just the student’s ability to recognise letters A to Z, but also his/her ability to carry out simple instructions such as ‘shut the door’, ‘bring me the book’. In Class II, a student should be able to compose and write simple, short sentences with space between words. The levels have been gradually increased so that by Class VIII, a student cannot only read and write, but also use his or her faculties to read between the lines, understand new concepts and explore and read other areas of knowledge.