CBSE schools scrap PSA test

Hyderabad: Schools affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) have welcomed the board's decision to scrap the Problem Solving Assessment (PSA) test for Class IX and XI. PSA was a logical reasoning exam, held instead of the Formative Assessment-4, that tested students' critical thinking abilities. Schools say the move will be of help to students.

The CBSE announced that PSA had been “done away with” and schools can, instead, conduct Formative Assessment-4. In a circular sent to   schools, controller of exams K.K. Choudhury said, “Board has decided to  do away with the PSA (Problem Solving Assessment) in Classes IX & XI   from the 2015-16 session. Schools are, therefore, advised to conduct  FA4 for the students of IX who could not attend assessment or are   desirous of improving earlier scores and upload best of their scores   (out of PSA or FA4) on CBSE website.”

Hyderabad Sahodaya Schools Complex chairman N. Naveen Reddy said   schools received the circular and termed it a good move.

Students of 10th Standard, who had appeared for the PSA last year   while they were in 9th Standard, can also give the FA-4 for their   syllabus this year. The higher marks of the two will be counted. The   PSA had separate tests for all subjects, but there was no negative   marking. It gave a common score for all subjects instead of individual   scores.

Simi Nagi, principal, Pallavi Model School, said, “This was a major  hindrance to students, and most of those who failed, had lost because   of this. Some students are good at some subjects only, and it was a   big loss for them. But FA-4, instead of PSA, will augur well for   them.”

Schools say they often had trouble preparing students for Problem Solving Assessment  since it was not curriculum-oriented. “It was very hard to prepare   students for the PSA. And it had also given rise to use of more number   of guides,” another CBSE school principal said.