Odisha issues new guidelines for class V, VIII annual exams; to focus more on critical thinking and more

The State School and Mass Education Department has issued new guidelines for conducting annual examinations and evaluations for Class V and Class VIII students across Odisha. The aim is to align school-level assessments with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2023.

The NEP 2020 calls for a move away from rote-based and high-stakes examinations towards competency-based assessments that promote conceptual understanding, critical thinking, and practical application of knowledge.

These school-based assessments, recommended for Classes III, V, and VIII, are intended to serve as diagnostic tools that help track student progress and guide teaching strategies rather than impose examination pressure.

According to the policy, assessments must evaluate the achievement of basic learning outcomes, core concepts, and higher-order skills. The NCF 2023 further outlines age-appropriate assessment methods, short written tests and continuous teacher observation for Class V, and more formal evaluations such as projects, experiments, and written papers for Class VIII.

Revised Evaluation Pattern For Class V And VIII

Under the new structure, Class V assessments will include 60% internal evaluation and 40% annual examination, while Class VIII will follow a 50%-50% distribution.

For Class V, internal assessment will include:

FA1, FA2, and SA1: 30 marks

Written work: 10 marks

Project work: 20 marks

Annual exam (SA2): 40 marks

For Class VIII, internal assessment will include:

FA1, FA2, and SA1: 30 marks

Written work: 5 marks

Project work: 15 marks

Annual exam (SA2): 50 marks

The annual exam for Class V will consist of both oral (10 marks) and written (40 marks) components, while Class VIII will have a fully written paper for 50 marks.

Balanced Question Paper Structure

To maintain fairness, questions will cover the entire syllabus with 30% weightage for content taught before Summative Assessment 1 and 70% for content taught afterwards. The difficulty level of the papers will be distributed as 30% easy, 40% moderate, and 30% difficult.

Security And Monitoring Measures

The guidelines also outline strict procedures for handling question papers. Block Education Officers (BEOs) will receive question papers at least seven days before the examination and store them in a secured strong room. 

A team led by Cluster Resource Centre Coordinators (CRCCs) will collect papers three days prior and keep them safely at the nodal high school, the same location used for Class X Board exams. Distribution to schools will occur on the morning of the examination under strict confidentiality protocols.

Multi-Level Monitoring Committees

To ensure smooth implementation, state, district, and block-level committees will be formed. The resolution aims to ensure fair and standardised evaluation across schools while supporting the holistic learning objectives outlined under NEP 2020.