School based evaluation in Social Science at secondary stage

1. A total of twenty (20) marks have been allotted for internal evaluations as per the following details:

• Tests (formative and summative) 10 marks

• Assignments - school and home assignment 05 marks

• Project work 05 marks

2. Regarding evaluation of formative tests, the teachers are expected to give a variety of oral and written questions for recapitulation, review and diagnostic purposes. The purpose is not to assess learning but to identify learning gaps, deficiency in teaching and to bring improvement in teaching-learning process. However, for evaluation of unit tests (written), it is suggested that a record of at least three unit tests, term tests and half yearly tests should be maintained. In class IX, students can be given marks out of 10 and average can be calculated out of 10 marks. Alternatively, students can be assessed in the unit tests on a five-point rating scale and Grade Point Average (GPA) can be worked out. Then, the final scores on written tests can be worked out of 10 marks. These grades will have the following numerical values:

• Excellent - A-5, •  Very Good -B-4, •  Good - C-3, • Fair - D-2, • Unsatisfactory - E-l. In class X, 10 marks will be awarded on the basis of final performance of students in class IX and also on the basis of at least two unit tests held in class X. Then the average can be calculated for marks to be given out of 10. For example, if any student has got 60 per cent marks in aggregate in Class IX home examination and has got 7 & 8 marks out of 10 respectively in two unit tests in Class X, the above can be added up in proportion to 10 which comes out 21 which will then be divided by 3 to get the average marks out of 10.

In the instant case, it comes to 7. The teachers may note that too many tests increase the stess level of students. The tests should be conducted in stress free, non-threatening environment to help the student in revising learnt concepts.

3.Regarding assignments, it is suggested that for recording purpose. every month, well-planned assignments may be given to the students. Since Social Science has components of History, Geography, Civics etc. assignments may consist of 1 or 2 questions which test the understanding of different concepts in these components. There can be 4 to 5 assignments in class IX and 3 to 4 such assignments in class X. Assessment can be made on a 5-point rating scale. Record of such 5 assignments may be kept. Based on their suggested numerical values, Grade Point Average (GPA) can be calculated to arrive at final award in marks out of 5.

4. Regarding evaluation of project work, 5 marks have been assigned for the project work done by the students in the academic session. The CBSE Board had also sent detailed guidelines regarding evaluation of project work, vide circular no. 7/2005 dated 4th Feb.2005. For class IX, a student is required to do any two projects out of which one will be compulsorily on Disaster Management. In class X, the students will do any one project and marks will be awarded out of 5. It may be pointed out that the project work in no case should be voluminous and must be restricted within 9 to 15 pages of standard A-4 size but it should be original, creative and innovative. Break up of marks over different aspects will be as follows: