Holistic Progress Cards (HPC) are designed to assess a student’s overall progress beyond just academic performance. Introduced under PARAKH Initiative of NCERTaligned with HPC. National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 A vision of competency-based, student-centered learning. Unlike traditional progress cards that focus only on grades, the HPC assesses academic, cognitive, social, emotional, and co-curricular development.
The HPC framework is structured around four progressive stages, which ensure that a child’s development is nurtured from early childhood through secondary education.
The Four Steps of the Holistic Progress Card
A holistic progress card assesses a student’s overall progress, including academics, life skills, and co-curricular progress. It focuses on balanced learning and continuous improvement. Below, we’ll look at the four stages of the overall development card in detail:
Foundation Stage (Ball Vatica to Grade 2 | Ages 3–8)
The Foundation Stage lays the foundation for a child’s lifelong learning. At this stage, the focus is on building basic skills through play, exploration, and hands-on activities. Learning is designed to foster experimentation, curiosity, creativity, and basic cognitive skills rather than memorization or rote learning.
Students are encouraged. Develop basic literacy and numeracy skills.engage in problem-solving activities, and participate in storytelling, art, and music. The development of is equally important. Social emotional skillssuch as empathy, cooperation, and self-regulation. Teachers observe and record progress in multiple dimensions, including physical development, learning habits, social interactions, and aesthetic sensitivity. Parents and caregivers are also involved in providing insight into a child’s interests, behavior, and learning style.
At this stage, HPC helps identify each child’s unique strengths and learning needs, and lays the foundation for more structured learning in the years to come.
Preparatory Phase (Grades 3–5 | Ages 8–11)
The preparatory stage is the bridge between the informal Play-based learning and a more structured learning environment. At this stage, students are gradually introduced to formal patterns of learning, while emphasizing holistic development.
In addition to academic subjects such as math, science, languages, and social studies, students begin Developing critical thinkingproblem solving, and reasoning skills. Co-curricular activities such as sports, arts, and cultural participation are integrated into the learning process to promote physical and social-emotional development.
The HPC assesses students at this stage not only on academic achievement but also on life skills, collaboration, creativity and moral understanding. Teachers provide constant feedback, guiding students to improve in areas that need attention while nurturing their natural talents and interests.
Emphasizing both competence and character, Preparation stage Ensures students build essential personal and social skills as well as a strong academic foundation.
Middle Stage (Grades 6–8 | Ages 11–14)
The middle stage marks a critical period where students transition into more formal and subject-focused learning. At this stage, the focus expands from basic skills to the development of higher order thinking skills and independent learning habits.
Students engage in a structured curriculum exploring pre-professional skills and career awareness activities. They are encouraged to take ownership of them. Learning through projectsresearch assignments, and collaborative activities. The HPC assesses a combination of academic performance, analytical skills, ethical values, leadership skills, and participation in co-curricular programs.
Additionally, this phase emphasizes social and emotional development, fostering teamwork, communication skills, and resilience. It aims to prepare students for the challenges of higher education and real-world problem-solving, ensuring that they become confident, capable, and well-rounded individuals.
Secondary Stage (Grades 9–12 | Ages 15–18)
The secondary phase focuses on specialization, skill development, and future preparation. At this level, students engage deeply with academic subjects while also exploring professional and career-oriented skills.
The HPC assessment at this stage is comprehensive, assessing not only subject-specific skills but also critical life skills such as decision-making, leadership and social responsibility. Students are encouraged to participate in research projects, internships, entrepreneurship programs, and other experiential learning activities.
Co-curricular and creative activities continue to play an important role at this stage, helping students develop self-confidence, adaptability, and comprehensive competence. Feedback from teachers, peers, and self-assessment is an important part of HPC, enabling students to identify areas of strength and improvement.
Ultimately, the secondary phase ensures that students are prepared to move into higher education, vocational training, or professional careers with a sound skill set and a growth mindset.
The result
The Holistic Progress Card (HPC) represents a paradigm shift in education, away from traditional, marks-based assessment towards a holistic, student-centred approach. By following four stages—Foundation, Preparatory, Middle, and Secondary—HPC ensures that each student’s development is nurtured academically, socially, emotionally, and creatively.
This structured, step-by-step approach allows teachers, parents, and students to meaningfully monitor self-development, identify strengths and areas for improvement, and encourage lifelong learning. Ultimately, HPC not only measures achievements but also prepares responsible, competent, and competent individuals in line with the NEP 2020 vision for inclusive education in India.
Priya Kapoor | AVP – Academics
Priya Kapoor is an accomplished education professional with over 18 years of experience in a variety of fields, including eLearning, digital and print publishing, instructional design, and content strategy. As an academic at AVP – Extramarks, she leads education teams in developing tailored educational solutions to ensure alignment with diverse curricula across national and international platforms.Read more
