Chandigarh Selected for PISA Test 2021

Chandigarh, 29^th January 2019: 28^th January, 2019 was a historic day in the academic history of the country when an agreement was signed between Department of School Education and Literacy, MHRD and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development regarding administering/holding of Programme for International Students Assessment (PISA) test in India in the year 2021.  The agreement was signed by Sh. Manish Garg, Joint Secretary, School Education and Literacy, MHRD and Mr. Andreas Schleicher, Director for the Directorate of Education and Skill (OECD).  Children between age group of 15 years 3 months to 16 years 2 months will be eligible for participation in the said test.  

PISA assesses the extent to which 15-years-old students, near the end of their compulsory education, have acquired key knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.  The assessment focuses on the core school subjects of science, reading and mathematics.  Students’ proficiency in an innovative domain is also assessed (in 2015, this domain is collaborative problem solving).  The assessment does not just ascertain whether students can reproduce knowledge; it also examines how well students can extrapolate from what they have learned and can apply that knowledge in unfamiliar settings, both in and outside of school.  This approach reflects the fact that modern economies reward individuals not for what they know, but for what they can do with what they know.

Keeping in view the state of the art, infrastructure and quality/standard of education in the schools of Chandigarh, the U.T. of Chandigarh have been selected for PISA Test, 2021.  All the Government as well as private schools will participate in the said test.  Preparations leading to participation of schools of Chandigarh in PISA are likely to raise the standard/quality of education, substantially, comparable with the standard/ quality of the education prevalent in the other participating countries.

Sh. Manoj Parida, Adviser to the Administrator has assured Central Govt. that all necessary preparations including establishment of institutional frame work, re-orientation of teachers, improvement/adaptation of teaching/pedagogical processes and capacity building of teachers, in general, will be undertaken by U.T. Administration. HE-the Administrator    Sh. V.P. Singh Badnore has congratulated the Education Department, UT for having been chosen by the MHRD, Government of India for the said test.   Sh. B.L. Sharma, Secretary Education attended meeting in Delhi on this subject and participated in signing ceremony.