Despite the fact that educationists advocate for comprehensive and continuous evaluation system to evaluate a child’s understanding of knowledge and ability to apply the same, we are still following the summative annual exam as the decisive tool to assess children. In fact, CCE is part of the legal right of children under the Right of Children for Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009.
It is common to say that examination system is a necessary evil within the larger education system. It is true that examination alone is not a very good, reliable and authentic tool to measure capabilities of students. However, we cannot give it up, given the structure, practice and methodology of assessing the learning outcomes in the present education system.
The annual exams have become integral part of our education system. Therefore, the real challenge is to prepare our children to face exams without fear and anxiety by boosting their morale and confidence and to prepare them to cope with the exam-related stress and strain. The following tips may be useful in this direction.
Firstly, one of the major fears among students is the ‘fear of failure’. Teachers, parents and family members should help the child identify areas where he/she lacks confidence and feels insecure and thereby face the fear of failure. This needs to be done from the beginning of the academic year, not at the eleventh hour. This helps the child to be cautious and confident to overcome the fear of failure.
Secondly, children should remember that they need to work for a minimum of two to three hours a day to visualise their success in the forthcoming examination. This routine of daily schedule will make them ready to face the exam without any fear or anxiety.
Lastly, mere rote learning is not enough to face the exam confidently. The process of summarising and finding connections after every reading followed by writing down important points is essential to understand and remember the concepts and facts. This leads to long-term memory, understanding and permanent learning and boosts the child’s confidence to face the exam.
— Niranjanaradhya V P,
Fellow and Programme Head, Universalisation of Equitable Quality Education Programme, Centre for Child and the Law, National Law School of India University