CBSE Problem Solving Assessment - PSA to be held in November for 2014-15 Session

What is PSA (Problem Solving Assessment) of CBSE ?

CBSE Problem Solving Assessment (PSA), a compulsory test for its Class 9 and Class 11 students will be held on November 20 for 2014-15 session. The purpose of CBSE to take PSA (Problem Solving Assessment) is to test some out-of-the-textbook skills of its students. In other words, through PSA, CBSE wants to assess the students' ability to process, interpret, and use information instead of assessing their knowledge on subject matter.

For Class 9, the marks of PSA will be counted towards the fourth Formative Assessment (FA-4), which is 10% of the total assessment. For Class 11 students, CBSE will issue separate certificate. Students who want to improve their last year's PSA scores can also appear this year.

Pattern of Questions asked in CBSE PSA

This year CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) has decided that PSA will be taken for 60 marks instead of 90 marks held for last session. However the number of questions would be 60 be as it was last year. There will be no negative marking. The three part question paper would comprise multiple choice questions covering -

Language Skills = 24 questions, 

Quantitative Reasoning = 18 questions,

Qualitative Reasoning = 18 questions. 

CBSE has no prescribed syllabi to study for PSA. Students however can get a feel by going through the questions asked in the PSA last year using the CBSE Academics website (http://cbseacademic.in/). There one has to select the 'books, support material and sample questions' option in the 'Publications' drop-down menu (http://cbseacademic.in/publication_sqps.html). The question papers are available under the 'Previous Question Papers and Making Schemes' section, placed at the end of the page under the caption “Problem Solving Assessment Question Paper 2014, 2013” etc.

Our Advise for CBSE Problem Solving Assessment

Because the PSA are not based on any syllabus, it is quite natural for the students to be worried for what type of questions will be asked in the test. So we strongly advise students must go through the last year question papers as well as the sample questions of PSA given on the CBSE Academic website (how to find these questions - see above).