Schools want extension for submission of CAT-1 exam score

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School teachers and administration across Maharashtra have raised concerns over the submission of scores for the Comprehensive Assessment Test-1 (CAT-1) conducted between October 22 and 25, citing delays caused by election-related duties and other non-academic workload on them and asking for an extension to complete the registration process.

The State Council for Educational Research and Training (SCERT), which conducts the exam twice a year, has emphasised that no additional time will be allotted after December 5. By November end, 40 per cent more schools have registered their students' scores, while approximately 20 per cent of schools are yet to upload the results.

The educators are under increasing pressure to ensure that all data is uploaded on time to avoid disruptions to the state's academic evaluation system for the current year. The CAT-1, an essential part of the state's academic evaluations for the 2024-25 academic year, assesses students in subjects such as First Language, Mathematics, and English for classes three to nine.

The exam is applicable to government-run schools and government-aided schools having Maharashtra state board curriculum. The idea is to have uniformed parameters to understand the learning levels of students studying the state board curriculum in these classes. The scheme was implemented last academic year under the centrally run programme - Strengthening of Teaching-Learning and Results for States (STARS) - under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) project. The programme was introduced with a goal to improve the standard of education as well as elevating the level of learning outcomes among students by implementing effective teaching and learning methods. It is important to know the current understanding of students.

In response to the delays, the state has appointed district coordinators to assist teachers with the registration process. These coordinators, selected by primary and secondary education officers, are responsible for ensuring that all scores are accurately entered into the Vidya Samiksha Kendra portal. For schools experiencing technical issues, an alternative submission method via a Google link has been provided.

Voicing concerns about the pressure, Vijay Kombe, the president of the Maharashtra State Primary Teachers Committee, said, "Yes, there has been a delay in submitting the data, but no one accounts for the overwhelming workload on teachers and schools."

"Teachers already face numerous non-academic duties, and on top of that, the education department demands continuous data submissions. Besides these administrative tasks, we also have academic responsibilities. ," he added. "We acknowledge that a significant number of schools had not submitted their data, but the situation is improving," said a senior official from the state education department. "As of last week, nearly 60 per cent of schools had not yet submitted scores, but many have now started the process. We were informed that data submission is picking up."

Speaking with mid-day, SCERT Chairman Rahul Rekhawar said, "These exams are part of the PAT initiative under the STARS project. As of December 1, 72,000 schools out of 85,000 have managed to submit their data. There is no policy for penalising schools for delays. We aim to motivate them to submit the data, as it benefits both the schools and their students. No further extensions will be granted."