Bridging the Equity Assessment Divide - Teachers Culturally Responsive Practices

Abstract

The National Education Policy 2020 envisions a fundamental shift in how we assess students moving toward approaches that are competency-based, holistic, and fair to all learners. But how much of this vision has actually reached classrooms? This study looked at how teachers in Tamil Nadu's Karur district are putting Culturally Responsive Assessment (CRA) into practice. We surveyed 312 teachers from government, aided, and private schools, asking them how often they use CRA, how confident they feel about it, and what gets in their way. This study found reveals a telling gap between policy and practice. While 82% of teachers agreed that CRA matters for meeting the needs of diverse students—including first-generation learners and children from different language backgrounds—only 28% said they actually use it regularly. The main obstacles? Overcrowded classrooms (85% of teachers pointed to this), lack of training in alternative assessment methods (78%), rigid syllabi that leave little room for flexibility (70%), and the relentless pressure to prepare students for board exams (68%). Teachers who had received training under the NEP 2020 framework were noticeably more likely to use CRA.

The takeaway is clear: if we want real change, teachers need practical training modules in Tamil, district-level support for creating resources, and systemic reforms that bring state board evaluations in line with NEP's vision for formative assessment.

Keywords: Culturally Responsive Assessment, NEP 2020, Tamil Nadu education, equity in assessment, teacher practices, Karur district.