CBSE had introduced a new type of test called Problem Solving Assessment (PSA) for Class-9 & Class-11 students studying in CBSE sch...
CBSE had introduced a new type of test called Problem Solving Assessment (PSA) for Class-9 & Class-11 students studying in CBSE schools. The first CBSE PSA test was held last year on 14th Feb, 2013, the notification for which was published on 6th November, 2012. The second such test i.e. CBSE PSA 2014 was conducted recently on 18 January 2014.
This blog post is being made to help you students know what is Problem Solving Assessment test of CBSE, so that you can have a bird-eye-view of the whole test to enable you to prepare for the test itself. I would provide the study materials so that you can score the maximum marks in this test, in my following two articles:
CBSE PSA Test Pattern & Type of Questions Asked
CBSE PSA Sample Papers and Books for Class - 9 & 11
CBSE PSA Test Pattern & Type of Questions Asked
CBSE PSA Sample Papers and Books for Class - 9 & 11
Whats is CBSE Problem Solving Assessment test:
CBSE PSA test has been designed to test the Life Skills relating to following three areas:Quantitative Reasoning.
Qualitative Reasoning.
Language Conventions.
So what is a Life Skill?
Life Skill has been defined by World Health Organization (WHO) as “abilities for adaptive and positive behavior that enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life”.
The ten core Life Skills listed by WHO are: Self Awareness, Empathy, Critical Thinking, Creative Thinking, Decision Making, Problem Solving, Effective Communication, Interpersonal Relationships, Coping with Stress, and Coping with Emotions. You can find a detailed discussion on Life Skills and how they helps you in day-to-day context in this CBSE booklet.
And what are Quantitative Reasoning, Qualitative Reasoning & Language Conventions?
You can find a detailed discussion on this in my subsequent article: CBSE PSA Prep Materials - Syllabus, Sample Papers and Books.
Is CBSE PSA a new test?
Although launched only last year (i.e. in 2013), CBSE PSA test is not a new test in entirety, in the sense that it is going to replace the already existing pen-paper test in the Formative Assessment (FA-4). FA-4 includes multiple choice questions, projects and unit tests. Weightage of PSA will be same as FA-4: 10% marks (10 marks out of 100).
Format of CBSE PSA:
There are 60 Objective type (i.e. MCQ) questions of 90 Marks in Problem Solving Assessment test. This has to be answered in 2 hours. Each question weighs 1.5 marks and there is no negative marking for wrong answers.
Number of questions in the three sections are as follows:
Quantitative Reasoning: 18Qualitative Reasoning: 18
Language Conventions: 24
You can find more about this in my post: CBSE PSA Test Pattern & Type of Questions Asked.
You have to answer the questions in Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) answer sheet that will be provided to you in the exam hall. How does an OMR sheet look like? You can see a sample OMR sheet at right above.
Why should you take CBSE PSA seriously:
Well, the first reason is, you just can not escape it - you have to appear in CBSE PSA test since it is a part of CBSE Continuous & Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) and your score in this impacts your overall score. So as you have to appear in it, why not do it well?
The second reason is: take this as Foundation course for future exams - what I am emphasizing is that CBSE PSA should be taken seriously a the three test areas of CBSE PSA i.e. Quantitative Reasoning, Qualitative Reasoning & Language Conventions are the same areas, based on which almost all the Entrance Exams (e.g. Engineering/Management) as well as Recruitment Exams (such as Bank jobs, PSU jobs etc. ) are conducted.
For example, IBPS (Institute of Banking Personnel Selection) conducts Common Written Examination (CWE) for selection of PO/Clerk in all Govt. Banks. The IBPS CWE exam contains the three test areas of CBSE PSA, as you can see from the pattern of IBPS CWE in the table at left.
General Awareness test & Computer knowledge test is not a part of CBSE Problem Solving Assessment
CAT (Common Admission Test) is conducted as entrance exam for the 13 prestigious Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). Pattern of CAT is as given at right. There, do you find some similarity?
Thus, CBSE PSA (Problem Solving Assessment) test can be your foundation to various entrance/recruitment exams in your near future and hence you should take this seriously. Also, as your CBSE PSA in Class-XI ends, do not dump the studies in these areas. As you pass class-XII and join your choice of graduation subject, you should keep practicing these areas - so that you can crack those future entrance/recruitment exams easily! Do not you think I am making some sense? May be you would find my next article s useful:
CBSE PSA Test Pattern & Type of Questions Asked
CBSE PSA Sample Papers and Books for Class - 9 & 11
CBSE PSA Test Pattern & Type of Questions Asked
CBSE PSA Sample Papers and Books for Class - 9 & 11
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