Students in Classes 9 and 10 at government secondary schools in Uttar Pradesh will receive 12-page Holistic Progress Cards (HPCs) under a new assessment framework that includes physical health, behaviour, creativity, life skills and extracurricular participation alongside academic performance.
The system will be implemented during the 2026–27 academic session following directions issued by Director General of School Education Monica Rani under the Samagra Shiksha (Secondary) programme. The initiative extends the state's existing holistic assessment framework for younger students to secondary school classes.
The report cards will be divided into three sections covering general information, holistic development and academic performance. The first section will record students' personal and family details, physical growth and nutritional status, including height, weight, body mass index (BMI), haemoglobin levels and blood group. Basic health checks covering vision, hearing and dental health will also be included.
These health parameters will be recorded twice a year, with assessments conducted at the time of admission or in April and again in January. Doctors, health workers or class teachers will record the relevant observations.
The second section will assess students through self-evaluation, peer feedback and teacher assessments. Students will be asked to identify their strengths, areas requiring improvement, interests, time-management abilities and future educational or career aspirations.
Classmates will provide feedback on teamwork, communication, discipline, respect for others' opinions and willingness to help peers. Teachers will assess participation in sports, music, dance, art, yoga, vocational activities, school clubs and community service.
The framework will also cover problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity, empathy, social inclusion, environmental awareness, constitutional values, personal hygiene and digital safety.
Students will be required to identify three personal strengths, areas they want to improve and their next major educational or career goal. They can also specify the support they expect from teachers and parents.
The third section will record academic performance, including subject-wise assessments, examination marks and attendance. The holistic report card will be issued separately from the existing Class 10 board examination marksheet.
Internal assessments will use three performance categories: 'Mostly', 'Sometimes' and 'Needs Improvement'. The grading system is intended to record students' progress across different developmental areas rather than assign marks to every aspect of their behaviour and participation.
The new framework also provides for parental involvement through a section for parents to review and acknowledge their child's progress. Schools will conduct parent-teacher meetings to discuss the assessments and identify areas where students may need additional support.
The state has directed district education authorities to circulate the new report cards and organise training sessions for school heads and teachers. The training is scheduled for November 12, according to the implementation instructions.
The initiative follows the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which recommends a shift towards competency-based assessment and the evaluation of students' cognitive, social, emotional and physical development.
The National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023 also recommends Holistic Progress Cards as a means of communicating students' progress to parents while encouraging self-assessment and individual learning plans.
Uttar Pradesh had already introduced holistic report cards for students in Classes 1 to 8. The latest decision extends the framework to Classes 9 and 10 in government secondary schools, bringing students at the secondary level under a broader assessment system.