Rethinking School Assessment at Scale with CISCE’s Dr. Joseph Emmanuel

In this episode of Tried and Tested, host Isabelle Gonthier, PhD-ICE-CCP, speaks with Dr. Joseph Emmanuel, Chief Executive and Secretary of the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, about the role of assessment in shaping student learning, progression, and opportunity. Drawing on more than three decades of experience across academic governance, large-scale assessment, institutional transformation, and national education initiatives, Dr. Emmanuel shares his perspective on how assessment can move beyond marks to better support learner development. As India continues to advance competency-based education and holistic progress measures, Dr. Emmanuel explains why assessment should be used not only to evaluate students, but to promote learning, identify potential, and guide future pathways. The conversation covers India’s National Education Policy, the shift away from rote learning, key stage assessments, teacher capacity building, classroom practice, PARAKH, holistic progress reporting, equity at scale, and what education systems around the world can learn from India’s diverse assessment ecosystem. What you’ll learn: Why assessment should be used as a tool for learning, not only a way to assign marks How India is moving from rote learning toward competency-based education Why classroom teaching and external assessment need to work together How key stage assessments can support learning progression before high-stakes exams What PARAKH and holistic progress reporting aim to bring to India’s education system Why teacher capacity building is essential to meaningful assessment reform How assessment can help identify student abilities, aptitudes, skills, and potential What other education systems can learn from India’s scale, diversity, inclusivity, and focus on equity Who should listen: Education and assessment leaders focused on school reform K-12 and secondary education professionals rethinking student progress Policymakers and school board leaders working on competency-based assessment Teachers and educator development teams supporting classroom-level change Assessment professionals interested in large-scale education systems Organizations focused on equity, access, and quality in education Leaders exploring how assessment can better prepare students for learning, work, and life About the Guest: Dr. Joseph Emmanuel is the Chief Executive and Secretary of the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), one of India’s premier national school education boards, responsible for conducting the Class X and XII examinations in India and overseas. A distinguished leader in the field of education, he brings over three decades of rich and diverse experience spanning academic governance and large-scale assessments. Prior to his current role, Dr. Emmanuel held several key leadership positions at the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), including Secretary, Director (Academics), Regional Director, and Officer on Special Duty for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). Across these roles, he demonstrated exceptional administrative acumen and visionary leadership in strengthening school education systems. His professional journey also includes serving as Executive Officer at the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and as National Project Manager for India’s participation in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) under the OECD—an engagement that reflects his global outlook on educational benchmarking and quality standards. He was instrumental in integrating technology across examinations, affiliations, and student services, thereby enhancing efficiency, transparency, and scalability. A key architect in advancing the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, Dr. Emmanuel has championed transformative academic initiatives to promote competency-based learning, continuous assessment, and the all-round development of learners.