2025, Vol. 6, Special Issue 3
From scores to skills: Shifting the focus in student assessment
Author(s): Rukesh Shelar
Abstract: The conventional education system has historically used score-based evaluations to measure student performance, with a focus on memorization and rote learning at the expense of practical application. In today's fast-paced global environment, the method is increasingly being viewed as insufficient. As business and the labor market require critical thinking, creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving skills, there is a strong requirement to shift assessment strategies towards a greater emphasis on developing skills over academic scores. This research paper investigates the shift from marks-based assessments towards skill-based ones, focusing on the limits of traditional testing mechanisms. It identifies the ways in which such tests tend to fail to capture key competencies like emotional intelligence, communication skills, leadership, and adaptability all of which are critical for success in the real world. Taking cues from educational reforms such as India's National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, and successful international models in nations such as Finland and Singapore, the study highlights the applicability and importance of implementing skill-based assessment systems. In addition, the paper analyzes the challenges of implementation in the Indian education system, such as training teachers, redesigning the curriculum, and incorporating digital instruments. It also makes suggestions for developing a more comprehensive, inclusive, and future-oriented assessment structure. By breaking free from scores and embracing a skill-based paradigm, instructors can guarantee that students are both academically proficient and personally and professionally equipped to address the challenges of the 21st century. This shift is not a reform, though; it is an evolution in modern schooling that the time demands.
DOI: 10.22271/27084515.2025.v6.i3Sa.810
Pages: 130-139 | Views: 105 | Downloads: 27
Download Full Article: Click Here
How to cite this article:
Rukesh Shelar. From scores to skills: Shifting the focus in student assessment. Asian J Manage Commerce 2025;6(3S):130-139. DOI: 10.22271/27084515.2025.v6.i3Sa.810
Other Journals