Grade 🙂: CBSE Schools in Kochi Adapt Innovative Approach under NEP, Award Emojis Instead of Grade

As per the New Education Policy (NEP), several CBSE schools in Kochi have been adopting a more holistic evaluation method as per the CBSE guidelines. These schools do not employ grade measures and instead use emojis and activity-based assessments to focus on the learning and development of students.This adjustment fits in with the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Beginning this academic year, a "holistic report card" has been implemented for students from kindergarten to second grade, focused on grading children based on their activities.This change is part of a larger attempt to make school less stressful by emphasizing holistic growth, emotional well-being, and learning through participation in varied activities. Schools hope that using emojis as a feedback mechanism will make learning assessments more engaging, reduce academic stress, and enhance emotional well-being. This approach emphasizes students' performance through activities such as projects, group work, and hands-on exercises, focusing on skills and behavioral growth in addition to academic progress.To ensure a smooth transition to the new emoji-based approach, schools in Kochi organized teacher meetings and integrated assessment to discuss and refine the new approach. This modification promotes a student-centered approach to learning, concentrating on the child's complete development rather than just academic grades. It promotes learning through hands-on activities, creativity, teamwork, and critical thinking abilities.The President of the CBSE Management Association, Ibrahim Khan, stated that "schools are realizing that early intervention can help build social skills in students from a young age besides reducing the pressures of performance and marks." We introduced board games to teach Math and EVS, while also stressing the importance of healthy eating and physical fitness alongside academic learning," said Priya C Pillai, principal of Chinmaya Mission School, Tripunithura.Yet, educators have urged a word of caution. "While students connect more with emojis than with numbers, there is a risk of monotony setting in," said Amruth G Kumar, a lecturer at the Central University of Kerala's School of Education. "Such initiatives can only succeed if teachers remain consistently creative with evaluation methods."