Jammu: maIn a first of its kind initiative Counselling Cell, Directorate of School Education Jammu has initiated the process for Aptitude testing of Government schools students using Tamanna Aptitude test. To begin with, Counselling Cell DSEJ conducted two days online Orientation cum Training programme of Faculty counsellors of Jammu Division from winter zone in which 500 faculty counsellors and Psychological task force members were trained for conducting the test on the students. More such rigorous trainings will be conducted through online/offline mode before actually conducting the test which will be conducted in offline mode.
The National Council of Educational Research and Training ( NCERT), New Delhi NCERT under the aegis of Ministry of Education, Government of Indian have evolved an aptitude test for senior school students named as Tamanna ( Try and Measure Aptitude and Natural Abilities) to enable the stakeholders to know the aptitude of students of 9th and 10th class. The Test contains items on the seven dimensions measured in the aptitude test i.e., Language Aptitude ( LA), Abstract Reasoning ( AR) , Verbal Reasoning ( VR), Mechanical Reasoning ( MR), Numerical Reasoning ( NA), Spatial Aptitude ( SA), and Perceptual Aptitude ( PA) along with technical manual, thereby, helping the students of 9th and 10th class to make a better choice of subjects.
In her inaugural address Ms. Anuradha Gupta Director School Education Jammu shared that the directorate of school education,Jammu has taken the lead by being the first one to help students take the benefit of this Test in making appropriate academic choices and career-related decisions. She said that Tamanna Aptitude test is a facility in the hands of teachers and the right and appropriate use of it will provide information which gives ample time to the students to indulge in self-exploration and self-preparation in academics as well as in exploring the world of work so that they are able to make well-informed career/vocational choices. “Every teacher should know it and its importance. It’s a lengthy process and journey. She cautioned everyone to be careful about pre and post instructions and guidance to be given to students. As the test is in its initial phase, she asked counselling cell to make proper reports after conduting the test so as to give inputs to the concerned agency for its further standardization, if required.
Pertinently winter zone schools are opening from first of March and capacity development of teachers is being done to mentor and guide incoming students after such a long gap. In the new session this test will be used as a tool to facilitate students for self-awareness, academic choice making and understanding their aptitude for later career decision making. It is to add that pilot testing of this test was successfully conducted in all the 11 zones of Udhampur District .
Romesh Sharma, Head Counselling Cell DSEJ while speaking at the successful completion of the two days programme advised faculty counsellors to use it as a complimentary tool for exploring /understanding about the child and not to label/judge any child based upon its results. He guided to use some qualitative techniques like observation interview also. Considering it as a bench mark for Govt. Schools he assured that counselling cell will work for making psychometric testing and individual counselling a permanent feature of Govt. Schools.
Dr. Alka Sharma and Ms. Renu Kotwal, Sh. Shanti Saroop Sharma, were the key Resource Person in this training programme who discussed the different aspects of this test including understanding aptitude, seven sub-tests, test administration and scoring, reporting mechanism, precautions.
Dr. Surinder Sharma, Ms. Preeti Sharma and Manan Mahajan, Team Members Counselling Cell helped in its smooth conduct.
