Indian students to participate in PISA 2021

The Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry on Monday signed a pact with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for the participation of students from Central government schools here to take the PISA-2021, a competency-based test, which tests the learning levels of 15-year-old students in reading, mathematics and science. With the signing of the pact, Indian students aged 15 will be able to take the Programme for International Student Assessment or PISA, which is conducted every three years.

"We are moving from national assessment to international assessment. Under this initiative, students will be tested in reading, maths, and science. I am sure that Indian students will come out with flying colors," HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar told the media. He said that the outcomes of the test will be used to do more teacher training programmes and curricular reforms.

The Minister said that questions in the test will be contextualised according to the Indian setting to help students understand them better. Schools run by Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) and schools in the UTs of Chandigarh will participate.

"Learnings from participation in PISA will help to introduce competency based examination reforms in the school system and help move away from rote learning. The CBSE and NCERT will be part of the process and activities leading to the actual test," the government said in a statement.