The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has recently released new guidelines for CBSE internal assessments in science subjects for students from classes 6 to 12.
These guidelines aim to provide a comprehensive framework for evaluating students’ performance throughout the academic year, moving away from the traditional end-of-year examinations.
Objectives of the CBSE Internal Assessment Norms
The primary objectives of the CBSE’s new internal assessment norms are:
- To enhance the overall learning experience of students by focusing on continuous and comprehensive evaluation
- To encourage active engagement and participation in the learning process
- To provide a more holistic assessment of students’ knowledge, skills, and abilities
- To reduce the burden of high-stakes examinations and promote a balanced approach to assessment
Components of the CBSE Internal Assessment
The CBSE’s internal assessment for science subjects in classes 6-12 comprises the following components:
1. Periodic Tests
- Conducted at regular intervals throughout the academic year
- Assess students’ understanding of the concepts and their ability to apply them
- Weightage: 10 marks
2. Portfolio
- Includes a collection of students’ work, such as assignments, projects, and experiments
- Showcases the student’s progress, creativity, and problem-solving skills
- Weightage: 10 marks
3. Practical/Laboratory Work
- Evaluates students’ hands-on skills and their ability to conduct experiments
- Includes observations, recordings, and interpretations of the experimental results
- Weightage: 30 marks
4. Student Enrichment Activities
- Participation in various co-curricular and extracurricular activities
- Engagement in research projects, field trips, and community service
- Weightage: 10 marks
The total internal assessment marks for science subjects in classes 6-12 is 60 marks.
Grading and Reporting
The CBSE internal assessment marks will be reported separately from the final board examination marks. This separation aims to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the student’s performance, with the internal assessment marks contributing to the overall evaluation.
The internal assessment marks will be graded on a scale of A1 to E2, with A1 being the highest grade and E2 being the lowest. These grades will be included in the students’ final report cards, along with the board examination marks.
Importance of the CBSE Internal Assessment Norms
The CBSE internal assessment norms hold significant importance for both students and teachers:
- Continuous Evaluation: The focus on periodic tests and portfolio assessment ensures that students’ progress is monitored throughout the year, rather than relying solely on a final examination.
- Skill Development: The practical/laboratory work and student enrichment activities foster the development of essential skills, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and hands-on experimentation.
- Holistic Development: The inclusion of co-curricular and extracurricular activities in the assessment encourages students to engage in a diverse range of experiences, promoting their overall growth and development.
- Reduced Exam Stress: By reducing the weightage of the final board examination, the internal assessment norms aim to alleviate the stress and pressure associated with high-stakes exams.
- Feedback and Improvement: The regular assessments and feedback provided through the internal assessment process enable students to identify their strengths and weaknesses, allowing them to work on areas that need improvement.
