New Delhi, October 21, 2026: PARAKH, the national assessment centre under the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), has proposed a nationwide framework of monthly, competency-based classroom interventions to address learning gaps identified in the PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan (PRS) 2024. The initiative aims to shift the focus from measuring student performance to using assessment data to improve classroom teaching and learning outcomes.
The framework has been presented to more than 600 state and district education officials representing all 36 states and Union Territories. It is intended to guide targeted educational interventions across 781 districts.
Five-Step Monthly Intervention Cycle
The proposed framework centres on a five-step monthly cycle: identifying weak competencies, planning focused interventions, delivering targeted teaching, assessing students and reporting outcomes.
District academic teams will use PRS findings to identify specific areas where students face difficulties. Teachers can then design classroom activities to strengthen those competencies throughout the month.
Focus on Learning Gaps, Not Just Scores
PARAKH has emphasised that PRS results should be treated as diagnostic indicators rather than final judgments on students, teachers or schools.
Instead of relying solely on overall test scores, the framework encourages educators to identify particular skills and concepts that require additional attention. This approach is intended to make classroom support more focused and responsive to students’ needs.
Play-Based Learning for Foundational Classes
For younger children, particularly those at the foundational stage, the framework recommends play-based literacy and numeracy activities, multisensory learning, small-group teaching and gradual progression from basic to more complex concepts.
Parents may also be involved through take-home learning materials designed to reinforce reading, writing and numeracy skills.
Guided Reading and Concept-Based Mathematics for Classes 3 to 5
For students in Classes 3 to 5, the preparatory-stage recommendations include structured reading exercises, guided comprehension, vocabulary development and concept-based mathematics.
The framework also proposes inquiry-based science activities, peer learning and age-appropriate digital tools to encourage deeper understanding and active participation.
Critical Thinking and Real-World Learning for Classes 6 to 8
For middle-school students in Classes 6 to 8, PARAKH recommends interventions that promote critical thinking, reasoning and practical application.
Suggested activities include critical-reading discussions, argumentative writing, data interpretation, coding, engineering projects and real-world applications of mathematics. Debates and logical-reasoning exercises are also intended to help students develop analytical skills.
Monthly Assessments to Measure Progress
At the end of each monthly cycle, students would be assessed on the competencies targeted during that period.
For the preparatory stage, the proposed assessment includes 18 questions covering six competencies. At the middle stage, assessments would comprise 30 questions covering 10 competencies.
The results would help educators determine whether students have improved and whether additional support is required.
District and State Authorities to Review Results
Schools would submit assessment results through standardised reporting systems. District officials and state education authorities would then review the findings to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions.
Based on the results, authorities could decide whether to continue an intervention, modify its approach, intensify support or extend it to additional schools.
PRS 2024 Highlights Significant Learning Gaps
The PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024 assessed more than 2.1 million students across 74,229 schools in 781 districts.
The findings indicated that student performance declined as learners progressed to higher classes. Average mathematics scores fell from 60% in Class 3 to 37% in Class 9, while language performance also showed a decline across educational stages.
These findings have highlighted the need for sustained academic support and targeted interventions to strengthen foundational and higher-order learning competencies.
District-Level Coordination to Drive Implementation
The proposed framework places district-level coordination at the centre of implementation. District education officers, District Institutes of Education and Training (DIET) faculty, State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) experts, block officials and teachers are expected to work together to identify priority schools and monitor progress.
The objective is to translate national assessment findings into practical classroom action, rather than treating large-scale surveys as one-time exercises.
Longer-Term Education Reforms Planned
The framework also proposes an intervention handbook, a dynamic question bank, information and communication technology (ICT)-based learning resources and integration with administrative datasets such as UDISE.
Longer-term measures under consideration include curriculum reviews, textbook revisions, changes in teacher education and online forums where educators can exchange ideas and classroom practices.
PARAKH Seeks to Turn Assessment Into Improvement
The proposed initiative signals a move towards using large-scale assessment data as a practical tool for improving teaching methods and student outcomes. By introducing a recurring cycle of targeted instruction, assessment and review, PARAKH aims to help schools respond more effectively to specific learning gaps.
The effectiveness of the framework will depend on its implementation, the availability of appropriate learning resources and consistent coordination among teachers and education authorities.
Source: Hindustan Times, PARAKH, NCERT
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