As a part of ongoing examination reforms, the CBSE Board has initiated a series of measures related to strengthening of school education and aligning the assessment practices with international standards. One such measure relates to conduct of Proficiency Test at the end of Class-X in all the five main subjects from next year. The related information has already been included in CBSE Board’s earlier circulars No.39, 40 dated September, 2009 on Scheme of Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation and Grading system. |
Broad objectives of the test |
The proposed Proficiency Test is being conducted with the broad objectives of : |
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Specific objectives |
Some of the specific objectives of the proposed test include assessing students : |
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What is a Proficiency Test? |
A proficiency test measures an individual’s abilities and skills in a domain or subject to know how well he/ she has learned, understood and internalised the related concepts and principles. Such a test in language e.g may |
assess a student’s skills in reading, writing, listening, speaking or vocabulary. Similarly a test in Science may focus on assessing students’ abilities to apply concepts and principles to analyse a given situation, solve a given problem and conduct practical work efficiently. A test in Mathematics may similarly assess problem solving abilities and skills of mathematical thinking, mathematical reasoning and procedural techniques followed by students. Thus, the proposed Proficiency Test will mainly focus on assessing students’ abilities and skills to apply knowledge and understanding of any subject to new and unfamiliar everyday life situations. |
The core testing element of such a test will include observing, comparing, classifying, solving, translating, interpreting, analyzing, synthesising, creating, composing, deducing, justifying and judging/evaluating. |
General Features of the Test |
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Design of the Question Paper |
The duration of the test in every subject will be 2½ hours. |
Question paper in every subject will carry 100 marks |
All questions will be of multiple choice type with only single correct answer. |
The test will be based on classes IX-X syllabus in the subject prescribed by CBSE |
The typology of questions will be different from the type of questions asked in conventional final examination conducted by the CBSE Board at the end of Class-X. The test will not include any direct recall, information-based or memory-based questions. It will only include questions to assess students’ skills and abilities to apply understanding of concepts to analyse a given situation or an unfamiliar everyday life problem. |
The total number of questions may vary from one subject to another. |
The questions included in the question paper will be of varying difficulty level. |
Negative marks will be awarded for wrong answers |
The willing schools will be required to submit the related information to the CBSE Board in advance through online filling up of the registration form available on CBSE website www.cbse.nic.in under CCE corner. The last date for submitting the online information is October 31, 2010. |
The printout of filled in online registration form (hard copy) duly signed and attested by the Principal may be submitted to the respective Regional Office of the CBSE Board by 30th November,2010.
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