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CBSE/DIR(ACAD)/2020 Date : January 20, 2020

Circular No. Acad-07/2020

All the Heads of Schools affiliated to CBSE

Subject: School Quality Assessment and Assurance (SQAA)

With the adoption of Sustainable Development Goals 2030 by India wherein one of the goals is improving the quality of education, raising the quality of school education in the country is one of the priority areas. Comprehensive approaches and strategies are being devised to address the issue of improving the quality of school education in the country. Accordingly, CBSE has developed a mechanism of School Quality Assessment and Assurance (SQAA) for comprehensive school evaluation aiming at continuous quality improvement through self-analysis and self-monitoring of quality enhancement processes. CBSE recognizes the importance of self-assessment as an integral part of schools’ ongoing review and improvement plan.

SQAA is an exhaustive, objective, transparent and implementable self-assessment tool benchmarked by best global standards and also rich in its local requirements for educationists, leaders, management and all those involved in making a difference in the lives of children. It is an affirmation of ‘Quality’. It highlights the fact that SelfAssessment as an internal accountability is intrinsically important in building a sense of responsibility and ownership.

SQAA is different from Outcome Based Inspection for Affiliation. Although both of them focus on Qualitative Enhancement in School Processes, SQAA is process driven and Outcome Based Inspection for Affiliation is outcome driven. The detailed comparison between the two is placed at Annexure A.

Benefits of SQAA

SQAA empowers and enables schools to self-assess their performance in different domains by providing them guidelines, tools and instruments to achieve a self- set target and goal thus helping to move further on developmental continuum. It would reassure stakeholders such as employees, professional bodies, general public that the school aspires for continual improvement and thus will benefit the student learning outcomes. SQAA will help a school to:

• assess how well it is doing in different areas of school functioning
• review its ongoing process of improvement of the institution
• use the feedback to plan for the future.

Eligibility for SQAA Process

Each school affiliated to the Board must undergo the process of SQAA and update its information online on the eight domains of school functioning (Scholastic Processes, Co-Scholastic Processes, Infrastructure, Human Resources, Inclusive Practices, Management and Governance, Leadership and Beneficiary Satisfaction) once every three years, starting from the year, 2020.    Read More —

Process of School Quality Assessment and Assurance

The process of School Quality Assessment and Assurance involves two essential phases:

Phase 1: Self-Assessment using different instruments of SQAA through an online method

Phase 2: Validation by External Peer Assessor Team by visiting the Assesse School

Phase 1	Self-Assessment	Mandatory: Outcome of Self-Assessment to be uploaded on the CBSE Portal once in every three years
Phase 2	Validation by External Peer Assessor Team	On demand by school May be done by members of Hubs of Learning for each other on voluntary basis On random basis by the Board

At the introductory level, CBSE is only focusing on Phase 1 of SQAA i.e. SelfAssessment for quality improvement of its affiliated schools.

Support and Mentoring

Support and mentoring may be provided either by Lead Collaborators of Hubs of Learning and/or by a neighborhood school that has exhibited high standards of quality assurance. CBSE will also be available for any support and assistance required in terms of organizing Capacity Building Programmes as per the need of the school.

CBSE SQAA does not rank schools/institutions, but establishes a level of acceptable quality for all the schools affiliated with the Board. The complete guidelines have been detailed out in the School Quality Assessment and Assurance Manual available at the following link:
http://cbseacademic.nic.in/web_material/Manuals/SQAA_FINAL.pdf

Action to be taken by Schools

The Board encourages all its affiliated schools to undertake the exercise of selfassessment to review their dimensions of quality and excellence.

Submission of Self-Assessment Report

The online platform for uploading the self-assessment report by the schools will be prepared shortly by the Board. Till then, the schools may upload the report on their school website by filling the School Quality Assessment and Assurance Form as given in School Quality Assessment and Assurance Manual.

In case of any queries, please email at cbsesqaa2019@gmail.com

Encl.: As stated above

Copy to the respective Heads of Directorates, Organizations and Institutions as indicated below with a request to disseminate the information to all the schools under their jurisdiction:

• The Commissioner, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, 18-Institutional Area, Shaheed Jeet Singh Marg, New Delhi-16
• The Commissioner, Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, B-15, Sector-62, Institutional Area, Noida-201309
• The Director of Education, Directorate of Education, Govt. of NCT of Delhi, Old Secretariat, Delhi-110 054
• The Director of Public Instructions (Schools), Union Territory Secretariat, Sector 9, Chandigarh-160 017
• The Director of Education, Govt. of Sikkim, Gangtok, Sikkim –737101
• The Director of School Education, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh, Itanagar –791 111
• The Director of Education, Govt. of A&N Islands, Port Blair – 744101
• The Director of Education, S.I.E., CBSE Cell, VIP Road, Junglee Ghat, P.O. 744103, A&N Island
• The Director, Central Tibetan School Administration, ESSESS Plaza, Community Centre, Sector 3, Rohini
• The Additional Director General of Army Education, A – Wing, Sena Bhawan, DHQ, PO, New Delhi-110001
• The Secretary AWES, Integrated Headquarters of MoD (Army), FDRC Building No. 202,Shankar Vihar (Near APS), Delhi Cantt-110010
• The Under Secretary (EE-1), MHRD, Govt. of India, Department of SE&L, Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi-01
• All Regional Directors/Regional Officers of CBSE with the request to send this circular to all the Heads of the affiliated schools of the Board in their respective regions
• All Additional Directors /Joint Directors/Deputy Directors/Assistant Directors, CBSE
• In charge IT Unit with the request to put this circular on the CBSE Academic website
• The Deputy Director & Assistant Librarian, CBSE
• The Senior Public Relations Officer, CBSE
• PS to Chairperson, CBSE
• SPS to Secretary, CBSE
• SPS to Controller of Examinations, CBSE
• SPS to Director (Information Technology), CBSE
• SPS to Director (Special Exams and CTET), CBSE

Director (Academics)

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Annexure A

Comparison between School Quality Assessment and Assurance Framework and Outcome Based Inspection for Affiliation

Focus Areas: Qualitative Enhancement in School Processes

S. No.	Area of difference	SQAA	Outcome Based Inspection for Affiliation
1.	Purpose	Self-Assessment Tool leading to an overall planning for school improvement thus creating Learning Organizations	Inspection on Parameters defined in the Framework for the purpose of Affiliation
2.	Focus Area	Process driven: Schools are encouraged to reflect, collaborate, be accountable and innovate and thus meet the standards laid down by CBSE	Outcome driven: Defines desired outcomes as laid down in the Outcome Based Inspection Framework
3.	Duration	Periodic and Ongoing self- assessment by schools	At the time of Affiliation and Extension of Affiliation
4.	Target Group	CBSE affiliated and nonaffiliated schools	Schools that have applied for affiliation and extension of affiliation
5.	Descriptors for Rating	Clear, specific, exhaustive descriptors for selfimprovement	General rubric for the purpose of affiliation
6.	Support	Exhaustive list of evidences and tools for self-assessment Capacity Building Programs for schools	Capacity Building Programme for Inspectors
7.	Assessment	Self-Assessment by the schools Assessment by Peer Assessors with special skills required for a Peer Assessor Role of Assessors is as Mentors	Inspection done by skilled Inspectors
8.	Outcome	Schools set their targets and goals as per the benchmarks and standards and move forward on their developmental continuum Schools prepare themselves for affiliation/extension of affiliation	Schools either get affiliated or rejected