Ludhiana: Teachers raise concerns ahead of PARAKH exam

The Competency Enhancement Plan (CEP), rolled out for the upcoming PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024 scheduled for December 4, has sparked concerns among teachers. While board class students have now been exempted from the test, leaving only students from Classes 3, 6 and 9 to participate, teachers remain worried about the impact of intense preparation on regular studies.
Since August, six rounds of tests under CEP have already been conducted, with a seventh planned for November 28 and 29. A government school teacher revealed that these tests involve worksheets with 15 questions each, often challenging for students. “We sometimes make students memorise answers just to update the data because the syllabus is still incomplete,” the teacher shared.
The CEP initiative aims to gauge student progress in government schools, with a handful of students selected from each block for the final exam. However, many educators argue the process is counterproductive. “Months were spent preparing board class students for CEP, and now they are excluded. This has left gaps in concept clarity and the delayed syllabus will affect bimonthly exam performance, most probably scheduled in December,” said Punjab Government School Teachers’ Union secretary Tehal Singh Sarabha.
Teachers further highlighted how their workload has ballooned with additional duties, including election tasks and Mission Samrath. “With CEP taking center stage now, educators are overburdened and unable to focus on classroom learning,” said Dharamjeet Singh Dhillon, state finance secretary of the Lecturer Cadre Union.
District education officer (secondary) Dimple Madan earlier stated that the exam aims to showcase student progress in government schools. However, many teachers feel that prioritising short-term preparations undermines long-term learning.
The situation has left educators anxious, particularly after a recent case where a teacher in Patiala was suspended for not maintaining CEP data. “The focus has shifted from teaching to meeting CEP targets, and it is the students who are paying the price,” said a teacher.