Over the past decades there has been a paradigm shift in the space of educational assessment worldwide, reflecting a change in focus from quantitative, mechanistic approaches to more qualitative, holistic ones that focus on learning and acknowledges the context of the learner. Such a change is also visible in the Indian education context with more emphasis now being laid on understanding the varying purposes and approaches to assessment. 

Assessment for learning is promoted internationally as a set of strategies to enhance student learning. However, it is much more than a series of techniques and strategies. It is a step forward in reimagining how students negotiate their participation in the classroom in context of their learning and  assessment. To be precise, it involves students, exercising their agency in learning. 

Modern classrooms are multifaceted and dynamic in nature with learners coming from diverse socio-cultural and economic backgrounds. In this scenario, contextualising assessment is the need of the hour. While there is ample amount of theory and research in the area, what really matters is- how do we translate these theories into actual practice in classrooms? How do we design assessments that support equity and inclusivity being mindful of the learner’s background? How do we prepare our teachers to use this enabling power of assessment? What does it mean to be truly ​‘assessment capable?’ How is mobilising the power of assessment to enable learning, even in a supportive policy context, dependent on the teacher’s belief system? Finally, while we practice formative assessments in our classrooms as per policy directives, are we truly embracing it in its ​‘spirit’? 

Join us for a panel discussion wherein practitioners and policy makers try to unpack these critical questions. The discussions will provide an insight into the theory and practice of formative assessments from a practitioner’s perspective in the context of actual classroom scenarios. 

About the panelists 

Dr Sweta Singh, Joint Secretary (Academics) at Central Board of Secondary Education. She is currently working in the areas of curriculum, competency-focused education, and assessment. Before joining the CBSE, she used to teach at the Department of Education,  Lady Irwin College, University of Delhi. A University Gold medallist, her doctoral work focused on the development of teachers’ competencies and reflective capacities. 

Shilpi Nischal Handa, Educator, The International School of Almhult, Sweden. Shilpi has been an educator for over 18 years, with experience in schools in India and currently in Sweden. An alumnus of Delhi University, she holds a bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and education, and a master’s in educational administration. She has worked with IB and experiential learning curricula, taking on roles such as teacher, subject head, instructional leader, and new teacher coach. As a trained instructional coach, she actively contributes to teacher development through mentoring and capacity-building initiatives. She enjoys designing curriculum that connects real-world experiences with deep conceptual understanding. 

Muhammed Dilshad A, Associate Director, Markaz Group of Schools. He started his journey in school education after his MA in Education from Azim Premji University in 2015. He began as a teacher and gradually moved into leadership roles as Vice Principal, Principal, and now as Associate Director of the Markaz Group of Schools. Over the past decade, Dilshad along with his team has been instrumental in improving pedagogical and assessment practices in their schools. They have attempted bringing a holistic approach to schooling through holistic report cards, student portfolios, student-led conferences, and have also implemented Open Text-Based Assessments (OTBA). 

Aruna Jyothi Vakkalanka, Faculty, Azim Premji University

Ronita Sharma, Faculty, Azim Premji University (Moderator)