Free competency-based assessment resources for teachers and learners

Sri Aurobindo Society (SAS) and the Australian Council for Educational Research (India) have jointly developed competency-based frameworks and assessment items as part of CBSE’s efforts to develop teacher and learner resources on competency-based learning and assessment.

As a technical partner in this initiative, ACER developed three competency-based frameworks across different content areas:

• framework for scientific literacy
• framework for mathematical literacy
• framework for reading literacy.

The practice assessment items in English, mathematics and science for grades 6-10 are aligned with the national curriculum and are designed to enable students to engage with competency-based items.

Dr Priyanka Sharma, Director, Research, ACER India, explains: ‘Competency-based learning systems represent a significant shift away from traditional content-based education models. To successfully implement these systems, educators require access to technically robust tools and empowerment to use those tools effectively, while students need a solid foundation for practice. These competency-based frameworks draw upon the extensive experience of ACER in the realm of large-scale assessments such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN).’

The National Education Policy (2020) recommends a shift from assessments that encourage rote memorisation to competency-based assessments that test students’ higher order thinking skills.  

The resources on the CBSE website are easily downloadable and free for teachers, learners, or any potential user.

Learning frameworks: https://cbseacademic.nic.in/cbe/learning-framework.html

Assessment items: https://cbseacademic.nic.in/cbe/assessment.html