PARAKH

General Studies Paper 2

Context: A workshop organised by the Ministry of Education aims to bring together the 60 school examination boards operating in various Indian states and Union territories under one umbrella.

• • PARAKH, under the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is the main component of this plan, envisioned as the National Assessment Centre.

Need & Significance

• To establish a coherent framework to ensure smooth transitions for students moving between boards or regions.
• This will involve harmonising curriculum, grading, and evaluation procedures to enhance the reliability and credibility of certificates and grades obtained.
• Unification also aims to address the prevailing rote examination culture and promote holistic assessments that encompass various dimensions of a student’s abilities and potential.

About PARAKH

• The PARAKH stands for The Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development.
• PARAKH has been launched as part of the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP)-2020 that envisaged a standard-setting body to advise school boards regarding new assessment patterns and latest research, and promote collaborations between them.
• It will be tasked with holding periodic learning outcomes tests like the National Achievement Survey (NAS) and State Achievement Surveys.