I am Implementing CCE:PARIKSHAPHAL, A Report card software for CBSE school based on CCE guidelines of CBSE.
In October 2009, Our company SARMANG SOFTWARE implemented CCE: PARIKSHAPHAL report card software after introduction of CBSE Grading CCE. Since then we are implementing the software in various schools of Uttarkhand and around. Here i am sharing my personal experiences during the implementation of the software.
Initially Principals and Teachers of CBSE schools were looking for a software solution that would reduce the increased workload due to the new CCE pattern, that includes conversion of marks to respective weightage to assessment exams (10 for each Formative Assessment, 20 for summative Assessment 1 and 40 for Summative Assessment 2), conversion of each exams marks to respective GRADES, Making report card format, calculation of percentile rank of student for each subject, calculation of GRADES for co-scholastic areas on the basis of number of indicators selected for each section, storing all student related data like marks, student profile, student's Health details, student attendance etc.
We developed the package for one of our already existing client for which we were implementing report card software since last 4 years. It took us nearly one month to design the software and immplement the same for this client.
COMMON FORMULA FOR GRADES: First challenge we fought was creating a general formula for conversion of marks to grades on a given scale. This formala should fit for Academic performace as well as co-scholastic areas, each section have different grading scale. After a regress analysis we were successful in generating a common forluma for conversion of marks to grade on any scale(10, 5 or 3).
PRINTING OF REPORT CARD: After this, we found a challenge in printing the report card, which is taking at least 4 pages, the challege was to fit all indicators of a section on same page. Number of indicators for each section were varing from 5-15, if we select more indicators for a candidate, the page length increases and if we opt few indicators the page length is reduced. Finally we fixed page numbers for each section and set each block sixe to maximum possible indicators. One drawback of this approach is increased number of pages for each student report card.
PRINTING CLASS REPORT CARD IN A SINGLE CLICK: Now, one of our client ask for printing of report of a class in a single click, earlier for printing report card of each student, we have to open the report card for particualar student and give print command. But, it was a time taking process for a class with 50-60 students. We implemented the same, but we stuck at a point, first few report cards were perfectly right and the latter were crossing their page limit leaving more and more gaps on top of page and contents of later report cards were coming on other student report card. The problem was in our printing technique, now we set page height for each page of the report card and the problem was solved.
OPTION FOR LATE ADMISSION AND ABSENT: Initially the option of late admission and absent exists in the software but in such cases the final grade of student were falling down. We were calculating the grades on the basis of total marks obtained out of maximum marks for all exams, the maximum marks also includes the exams for which student was either absent or had late admission. We were actually including the maximum marks for which student was not accessed, which i think was against the CCE concept. So, we changed our formula of total maximum marks, include only those maximum marks for which student has appeared.
CO-SCHOLASTIC AREA INDICATORS & GRADES FOR TERM I & TERM II : Another challenge was to print the Indicators of both terms in Annual report card, It took a little time to get solved. The problem was in presentation of Indicators for each section.
ADDITOIN OF GRADE POINTS & CGPA: This was a big issue, it was easily included.
DIFFERENT EXAM WEIGHTAGE FOR JUNIOR & SENIOR CLASSES: In June CBSE introduced different exam weightage for SA1 & SA2 for junior classes, which again made us to update the basic algorithm. Earlier we were having same exam weightage for all classes, but now we need to change this strategy to exam weightage on class basis.
INTRODUCTION OF UPGRADED GRADES: Introduction of this section made us to change our design as the final grade of student have to be upgraded for one or two subjects having least GRADE. The upgradation was done on the basis of total marks obtained in extra curricular activitiees i.e. co-scholastic areas & coscholastic activities. The challenge here is if a student got same grade in each subject which one or two should be upgraded. Initially we were upgrading lowest first two grades, but later we found that the total marks of other subjects are less than that of the two subjects. Then we changed the algorithm to upgrade grades for lest total marks subjects. In this case if more than one or two subjects have same total marks, we are upgrading on first come first serve basis. (Langiage I, Language II, Mathematics, Science, Social Science followed by others).
I ENJOYED WORKING WITH CCE: PARIKSHAPHAL, THIS IS EVER GOING PROCESS, THE GOOD POINT IS THAT, THE APPLICATION IS BEING MORE POWERFUL DAY BY DAY.
Next I am coming with my CCE:PARIKSHAPHAL implementation exprience with my clients.
Have a nice time
Anil Mohan
Sarmang Software
