Transforming Education with the National Education Policy 2020

When the National Education Policy 2020 was launched, it brought a renewed vision for Indian education. This vision is rooted in curiosity, creativity, and care. Among its most forward-thinking reforms is the introduction of the Holistic Progress Card (HPC). This multidimensional report is designed to capture the full spectrum of a child’s growth.

The Essence of the Holistic Progress Card

More than just marks, the HPC reflects a child’s development across various areas. These include academics, co-scholastic areas, values, socio-emotional well-being, and personal interests. It encompasses self-assessment, peer feedback, parental inputs, and detailed teacher observations. In principle, it is a powerful step forward.

However, in practice, it proves to be deeply demanding.

The Reality Beneath the Vision

Preparing a Holistic Progress Card is not merely a simple act of data entry. It is a highly human, yet intensive process. For every student, teachers must track multiple domains. They need to write personalized descriptors, manage student reflections, and collect parent and peer feedback. Additionally, teachers must ensure alignment with NEP and board guidelines.

Now, consider the scale. Multiply this by 500 students. 🧮 A study conducted in 2024 across schools in Manipur found that 57% of school heads reported teacher resistance to HPCs. This resistance is driven largely by workload and process complexity. More than 70% of teachers admitted finding it difficult to document every child’s multidomain progress consistently.

In Delhi government schools, a study by the Accountability Initiative (2018) revealed that teachers spend just 19% of their working hours on actual teaching. The rest of their time is absorbed by administrative duties. Adding HPC preparation to the mix, we begin to understand why the system feels stretched.

What Principals Are Quietly Realizing

Many school leaders initially assumed that the HPC could be managed “within the team.” However, this assumption often leads to increased friction—not just within staff rooms, but within leadership as well. Teachers begin to feel overworked. Coordinators get pulled into endless reviews. When errors emerge close to inspections, the pressure inevitably falls on the principal.

✍️ “We’ve become data-entry operators - tracking every smile and sports win.” - Principal, CBSE School, Karnataka.

The irony is clear: a tool meant to bring richness and reflection often reduces to paperwork, deadlines, and stress.

The Solution Lies in Systems

Here’s what NEP 2020 also states—something often overlooked:

💡 “AI-based software could be developed to support students in tracking their own growth.” (NEP 2020, Section 4.34)

This policy recognizes that for reflection to be sustainable, it needs support. Here, automation plays a crucial role. Smart systems don’t just simplify work; they preserve the purpose of the HPC. They allow teachers to do what only they can do: observe, reflect, and guide. Everything else—formatting, compiling, standardizing, printing—can and should be handled by the system. 🖥️

What Changes When You Automate HPCs

With the right platform, schools can experience an immediate difference:

• ✅ Centralized student profiles

• ✅ Rubric-based smart feedback

• ✅ Peer and parent reflections collected digitally

• ✅ Instant report generation

• ✅ NEP, CBSE, PARAKH compliance built-in

  
  

Schools we’ve supported have seen up to an 85% reduction in manual workload per term. Errors drop, and team morale rises. 🌱 Most importantly, teachers re-engage with the real spirit of holistic education, instead of just focusing on administrative requirements.

Our Experience at Scratchpad Labs

At Scratchpad Labs, we’ve worked with schools catering to over 2,500 students. Our automated HPC platform is:

• Fully aligned with NEP, PARAKH, and CBSE guidelines

• White-labeled for each school’s unique needs

• Plug-and-play into existing ERPs or can function standalone

• Ready for both digital and print formats 📜

  
  

Teachers teach. Students reflect. The system takes care of the rest. What schools get isn’t merely compliance, but also clarity, confidence, and calm.

Where We Go From Here

The Holistic Progress Card represents more than a new reporting format. It signifies a deeper commitment to understanding who the child is, beyond mere scores and subjects. For this commitment to succeed, we must support our educators with the systems they deserve.

A powerful idea, when backed by a powerful system, becomes sustainable. 🌟

If you are a school leader ready to make HPCs truly meaningful for your students, your teachers, and your future, the time to act is now. We invite you to join us on this journey.

The phrase " Holistic Progress Card" appears in the article only once. For more information about how automation can optimize education, feel free to explore our services at Scratchpad Labs.