In News:

The National Achievement Survey (NAS), a nationwide survey meant to assess students’ learning progress, will be held on December 4 this year under a new name – PARAKH RashtriyaSarvekshan 2024. This year’s assessment involves a few changes from the last round in 2021.

Overview of PARAKH RashtriyaSarvekshan 2024:

• New Name: The National Achievement Survey (NAS) is now rebranded as the PARAKH RashtriyaSarvekshan 2024.
• Date: The survey will be held on December 4, 2024.
• Purpose: To assess students’ learning achievements across India.
• Organizing Bodies: Spearheaded by NCERT and CBSE.

What Does the Survey Assess?

• Assessment Focus: Evaluates students’ learning outcomes in various subjects.
• Survey Methodology: Uses multiple-choice questions to assess a sample of students.
• Target Groups: Students from government, government-aided, and private schools across every district in India.

History of NAS and PARAKH:

• NAS History: Conducted every three years since 2001 to capture learning progress.
• Involvement of Classes:
  • 2001-2014: Included Classes 3, 5, and 8.
  • 2014-15: Class 10 was introduced.
  • 2017 and 2021: Covered Classes 3, 5, 8, and 10.
• Report Cards: Provides national, state, and district-level performance data.

Changes in 2024 Survey (PARAKH RashtriyaSarvekshan):

• Targeted Classes:
  • Class 3 (End of foundational stage)
  • Class 6 (End of preparatory stage)
  • Class 9 (End of middle stage)
• Exclusion of Class 10: Unlike previous years, Class 10 students are not part of this year's assessment.
• Subjects Assessed:
  • Class 3 & 6: Language, Mathematics, and The World Around Us (Concepts of Science, Social Science, and Environmental Education).
  • Class 9: Language, Mathematics, Science, and Social Science.

Alignment with National Education Policy (NEP) 2020:

• NEP Structure: Aligns with the NEP 2020 framework, categorizing educational stages:
  • Class 1-2: Foundational stage
  • Class 3-5: Preparatory stage
  • Class 6-8: Middle stage
  • Class 9-12: Secondary stage
• The shift to Class 6 and 9 for this year’s survey matches the NEP's stage-wise educational framework.

Key Differences in 2024 Assessment:

• Survey Scale: In 2024, 75,565 schools and 22.9 lakh students from 782 districts will participate.
• 2021 Assessment Data:
  • The 2021 survey revealed a drop in learning outcomes post-COVID-19.
  • Class 3 students showed a performance below the national average in all states.
  • Class 5: Only Punjab and Rajasthan had scores above the national average.

PARAKH's Role:

• PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development) was established in 2023 as the National Assessment Centre to oversee such achievement surveys.
• Mandate: One of PARAKH’s primary roles is to organize national surveys like the PARAKH RashtriyaSarvekshan.

Significance of the Survey:

• Data Utilization: The survey helps in shaping educational policies based on real-time data on student learning levels.
• Competency-Based Assessment: This year’s survey is focused on competency-based assessments, aligning with the goals of NEP 2020.
• Policy and Planning: The data helps in designing interventions to address regional or subject-wise disparities in education quality.