BENGALURU: A growing number of teachers and educationists across Karnataka are raising serious concerns about the newly introduced Lesson-based Assessment (LBA) system in primary schools, terming it “unscientific, burdensome, and a violation of the Right to Education Act”.
Prominent educationists have strongly opposed the policy and called for its immediate withdrawal, urging the government to reinstate the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) method instead.
According to experts, LBA requires students to appear for a test after each lesson, amounting to nearly 350–360 tests a year.
“This is not only overwhelming for students but is also severely burdening teachers, who are now forced to spend more time preparing, conducting, evaluating, and uploading data for assessments than actually teaching,” said Baraguru Ramachandrappa, noted writer and educationist. “Teachers are not machines. The classroom must be a space for learning, not non-stop testing,” he added.
The LBA system, introduced this year by the Department of School Education and Literacy, has drawn criticism not only for increasing the workload of teachers but also for allegedly violating Section 29(2)(h) of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, which mandates a Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation system for student assessment, according to educationists.
“LBA violates the very essence of what the RTE Act stands for,” said Niranjanaradhya VP, an educationist. “CCE was introduced after years of discussions and is now part of law. LBA, on the other hand, forces frequent testing, leaves little time for teaching, and narrows the focus to rote memorisation.”
He added that the decision to implement LBA was taken without consulting educators, teachers, or academic experts. “It is a unilateral move. Policies that directly affect children and teachers should go through democratic processes and expert consultation. This has not happened,” he said.
The issue, according to several teachers, is not merely about extra workload. Many feel that LBA reduces the classroom to a test centre and disrupts the natural rhythm of learning. “Instead of fostering creativity, critical thinking, and understanding, students are pushed into a cycle of repetitive testing,” said a government school teacher.
Educationists argue that well-trained teachers are capable of assessing students effectively through classroom observation, assignments, and regular interactions, without the need for formal tests after every lesson.
They stress that empowering teachers with better training and resources, rather than burdening them with rigid assessment systems like LBA, is crucial for meaningful education. “If you trust teachers, they will deliver,” said Niranjanaradhya, adding that the LBA model reflects a lack of trust and disconnect from ground realities.
As the debate continues, educationists remain hopeful that the government will reconsider its decision and return to the CCE system. “We are not against evaluation,” said Ramachandrappa. “We are against mindless testing. Let us teach, let children learn. That is what schools are for,” he said.
What is LBA?
The LBA system was introduced this year by the Department of School Education and Literacy
LBA requires students to appear for a test after each lesson, amounting to nearly 350–360 tests a year
Many feel that LBA reduces the classroom to a test centre and disrupts the natural rhythm of learning