Computers used by students in Classes III, V, and VIII for upcoming pilot assessments do not require Internet access, but schools must ensure a LAN (local area network) connection, the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) told schools during an online meeting last week.
The meeting focused primarily on the technical aspects of implementing the pilot project, according to several school representatives who attended.
The pilot assessments, to be held in September, will take place in 21 schools in Calcutta and 50 schools across Bengal, Metro reported last week.
Nationally, 300 schools will participate before the assessments are rolled out across all
affiliated schools in the next academic session.
“Individual computers do not need Internet because at the time of taking the test, Internet access is not required. The questions will be downloaded to the computers,” said Suchandra Laha, headmistress of The Future Foundation School.
Schools were also briefed on other technical requirements.
“The first meeting was primarily a technical orientation. We will need to plan our seating based on lab capacity,” said Gargi Banerjee, principal of Sri Sri Academy.
Sri Sri Academy has 180 students in each of the three classes, and will conduct the tests in three slots, accommodating 60 students at a time, Banerjee added.
The council expects all students in each class to take the assessments, which will test proficiency in English, math, science, and environmental science.
The tests are designed to assess learning aptitude and skills, not as pass-fail exams.
“In Class III, the assessments will be gamified,” said a teacher who attended the meeting.
Some schools will need to install specific software to run the pilot smoothly. A separate academic orientation meeting is scheduled for a later date.
Before the tests, the council will conduct physical inspections of school infrastructure and technical readiness.
“The test will help schools assess whether their curriculum aligns with the NEP and the council’s goal of ensuring NEP-compliant learning,” said Seema Sapru, principal of The Heritage School.
The pilot is expected to provide insights into the academic preparedness of students, the infrastructure and technical capability of schools, and the overall feasibility of large-scale digital assessments.
Schools are still waiting for the test dates. In some institutions, students have been verbally informed about the upcoming assessments.