NEW DELHI - Not interested in taking part in the school day function? You may now want to think again. Keeping in mind its aim of a holistic assessment of students, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will not just grade them in their subjects, but also on other parameters such as attitude, communication skills and values.

In a circular to all CBSE schools, Vineet Joshi, chairman and secretary of CBSE said that classes 9 and 10 will be going through Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) from October.

Talking about CCE, CBSE spokesperson Rama Sharma said that besides grading the students on subjects, there will be other parameters that they will be tested on as well.

“The new report card that we now have has sections on academic performance and co-scholastic areas. Under the co-scholastic section, a student will be graded on life skills - that is thinking, social and emotional skills and attitudes and values,” Sharma told IANS.

“Under attitudes and values, a student’s behaviour towards his or her teachers, schoolmates, towards school programmes, the environment and his or her values will be assessed and graded on a scale from A to B,” she said.

Thinking skills entails a student’s capability of creative and critical thinking, social skills entails his interpersonal communication and empathy and emotional skills will assess his ability to deal with stress and emotions.

Just to make things clearer for both students and parents, examples are being given in the report card on the parameters on which the child is being tested upon.

For instance, while assessing one’s social skills, such things like a student’s ability to take criticism, listen to others and whether he gets along well with others, will be taken into account.

Besides these, the new report card will also be an indicator of a student’s activity in the literary, scientific and aesthetic field, besides participation in school clubs and physical activity.

“As is stated in the report card, the aim of the CCE is to provide a holistic profile of the learner over a period of time,” Sharma said.

According to CBSE officials, the CCE will be applicable in two terms, between October and March and then between April and September.