Indian students may not participate in PISA

Indian students may not be able to participate in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), a triennial worldwide test for 15-year-old school children to know their scholastic performance.

Indian students may not be able to participate in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), a triennial worldwide test for 15-year-old school children to know their scholastic performance.

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The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which conducts PISA, has now told the Ministry of HRD that it would not bear the cost for holding the test in India.

"Problem has arisen after OECD said that they would not bear the cost. It appears difficult for the ministry to provide money for the purpose," a senior ministry official told PTI in New Delhi.

Earlier the ministry had agreed to a proposal of OECD for participation of Indian students in the test. The test aims at assessing the students' learning outcome internationally. It would have helped Indian students know where they stand in the world with regard to performance.

The first PISA assessment was held in 2000 when about 2,65,000 students from 32 countries appeared in the test. Over 2,75,000 students took part in PISA 2003, which was conducted in 41 countries. In 2006, 57 countries participated in PISA. Students from over 60 countries will participate in this year's PISA test.