Bharat SainiLast Updated on January 19, 2017 by Bharat Saini
Empowering Career Choices
Parents may feel relaxed as students may now not have to wonder any more about choosing a stream or for opting subjects after their CBSE Class X Board Exam as an Aptitude Test will enable them make a Considered Career Choice. This test will help school students to analyse their areas of interest & hence choose and pursue the right courses.
Understanding Aptitude
To elaborate it may be stated that the Aptitude reflects the inherent capacity, or talent of an individual. It is a combination of Native or Acquired Characteristics that are indicative of the ability of an individual to learn or develop proficiency in some particular area, if appropriate training is provided. An individual may develop different abilities in his life to complete tasks but may not have an aptitude for it. Aptitude refers to possessing more of a natural talent for a task, even if that talent is not yet fully developed.
Predicting Future Success
Aptitude Tests are universally accepted mode of rating capabilities for particular field and known to be reliable predictors of future scholastic achievements as they provide a profile of Strengths and Weaknesses of a Student. Aptitude tests are beneficial as they may highlight potential talent, which in some cases may not be even known to individuals themselves. The results of these tests help the individuals set up a career plan, by clearly identifying their skills, strengths and weaknesses. They also assist individuals in making future educational choices. It’s much better to be aware beforehand about the aptitude, interest, motivation and personality that one possesses, to make academic choices.
CBSE SGAI Initiative
On the initiative of the Union Human Resource Development Ministry, a task force, headed by Delhi University Psychology Professor Anand Prakash and consisting of officials from the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and several other psychometric experts had been formed to develop a prototype of this Aptitude Test.
This CBSE SGAI or the Student’s Global Aptitude Index Test is a simple student friendly assessment specifically designed to assess Aptitudes and interests of class X students. It is called Global because it helps in mapping various aptitudes and interests to provide a holistic or Global assessment. The Test is designed in such a way that it yields similar results if repeated again & again. And it is to be ensured that it is a culturally fair test for all kinds of students in this diversified country, irrespective of class, creed, caste, gender, culture or urban or rural background. Keeping abreast with the Technology and the need to provide hassle free guidance to students, this is improvised online version of the Student’s Global Aptitude Index Test.
The Test includes verbal reasoning, spatial ability, numerical ability, interpersonal skills and creative aptitude. There are questions testing these; situations are given and responses of students sought; and audio clips are also given to test as to how students respond to them. There are activities to test creative skills of the students.
Students who take these tests seriously should be able to assess their own aptitudes well. Mental preparedness and sincere responses are the prerequisite for this assessment as student’s environmental stimulus and motivational level play a vital role. This would enable them to make better informed career decisions. A student may have more than one kind of aptitude. The purpose of this Test is to help the larger population including, Parents, Teachers and Students to initiate a Consultation Process on Academic Choices that may lead to effective Career Planning later in life, however, it should be taken only as an Indicator or a Facilitator.
