Karnataka: Aptitude test for class 7 students from next year

BENGALURU: Learning aptitude tests will be conducted for all seventh standard students across all streams in the first week of January next year, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Kimmane Ratnakar announced on Monday.

Addressing the media here, he said the test helps parents to know the learning or grasping ability of their wards. Launching the Education 2020 mobile app, he said that the test will be for 100 marks on five subjects and it will not have any bearing on the annual results announced by respective schools. The preparations are already underway for the test, he said. The test will be held at all schools across the state from 11 am to 1 pm.

In the absence of public examination for students till Class 10, it was difficult for parents to know and analyse the grasping and writing abilities of their children. If it is known at Class 7 level, the parents can work on their wards’ academic performance, he said.

The tests will be held in all subjects, two months prior to the final examination. A meeting will be convened with the parents of those students who fail in the tests and special coaching will be provided to them. In foreign countries, biannual learning aptitude tests are held for doctors and teachers. “But in the state, we don’t have such a system,” he said.

No decision has been taken on aptitude test for teachers as yet and it will not be a criterion for transfer or pay hike. This is only to measure their aptitude level, he said.

The mobile app, developed by five techies, has looked at the education system that will prevail in 2020, he said. The app will be implemented in government schools too on pilot basis and based on the feedback from parents and teachers, it will be extended, he said.