The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has introduced a significant change in how India’s educational system will be evaluated, replacing the long-standing National Achievement Survey (NAS) with the PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024.
The shift, scheduled for December 4, 2024, marks a new approach to assessing the effectiveness of the country’s school education system.PARAKH, an independent assessment body under NCERT, is now responsible for this national-level survey, which will operate independently from the previous NAS framework.
While NAS, conducted every three years since 2001, focused on assessing student competencies at various educational stages, PARAKH brings a more comprehensive and globally aligned evaluation system.
New approach with PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024
The introduction of PARAKH aims to create a broader understanding of the educational landscape in India. Unlike NAS, which primarily focused on student performance in core subjects, PARAKH will evaluate entire schools as entities, providing a system-level assessment of education across districts. This change aligns more closely with international surveys such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), indicating a shift towards global best practices in educational assessment, according to NCERT.
The upcoming survey will cover 75,565 schools and evaluate over 22,94,377 students from Grades 3, 6, and 9 across key subjects like Language, Mathematics, Science, Social Science, and “The World Around Us.” This broader scope aims to give detailed insights into students’ learning journeys, identifying strengths and areas for improvement not only in individual students but also in the institutional structures supporting their education.
Key differences between NAS and PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024
The most significant difference between NAS and PARAKH is the scope and framework of evaluation. NAS, historically, was a national survey aimed at understanding student performance at the elementary and secondary levels, assessing competencies in subjects like Mathematics, Science, and Language. The last NAS in 2021 surveyed over 1.18 lakh schools and included participation from over 34 lakh students from Grades 3, 5, 8, and 10.
In contrast, PARAKH’s approach is system-level, focusing on foundational, preparatory, and middle stages of education as outlined in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The assessment will concentrate on Grades 3, 6, and 9, and will evaluate the overall effectiveness of schools across multiple districts. By using a combination of paper-based assessments and Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) technology, PARAKH introduces a more streamlined method of data collection and analysis.
Another critical difference is that PARAKH is designed to be independent of previous NAS reports. While NAS provided periodic snapshots of the educational system, PARAKH aims for continuous and comprehensive data.
Here’s an overview of the major changes-
What PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024 aims to achieve?
PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024 is in line with the principles of the NEP 2020, focusing on competency-based assessment rather than just content knowledge. It will evaluate how well students have developed critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills, which are essential for the future workforce. In addition to evaluating student competencies, the survey will collect contextual data from teachers, students, and schools to gain insights into the learning environment and educational practices.
The data collected from PARAKH will be crucial for policymakers, helping them make informed decisions about educational reforms. By identifying the strengths and weaknesses of schools across different regions, the survey will enable targeted interventions to improve teaching practices, infrastructure, and learning outcomes. The aim is to make the education system more inclusive and responsive to the needs of students from diverse backgrounds.
How PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024 will benefit data-driven reforms in education
One of the core objectives of PARAKH is to provide data-driven insights that can shape future educational policies. The survey will collect data on not only student performance but also school infrastructure, teacher quality, and classroom practices. This holistic approach ensures that educational reforms are grounded in evidence and address the root causes of challenges within the system.
By aligning with international assessment standards, PARAKH also ensures that India’s education system remains competitive globally. The insights gained from this survey will help the government and educational institutions make strategic decisions to improve the overall quality of education in the country.
