Syllabus head (iv) — Educational measurement and evaluation | Chapter 2 of 18 | FINAL EDITION
58questions, every one explained
14items in the 2022 paper drew on this chapter
Why this chapter matters
In the 11 December 2022 Vice Principal paper, this chapter's territory supplied roughly 15 of the ~36 measurement questions — about 37 marks. It included the paper's most computational cluster: a full item-analysis table from which three consecutive questions (difficulty index, discrimination index, and item judgement) were asked using the upper/lower 27% groups.
It also owns the most repeated "concept-identification" items in this exam family: which is NOT a projective technique, the order of the affective domain, norm- vs criterion-referenced interpretation, and sociometry.
Chapters 1 (foundations) and 3 (statistics) complete the measurement block.
Three questions from this chapter, solved
Every one of the 58 items is written this way — the answer, and why each wrong option is wrong.
Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: Under the Right to Education framework as it stands today, a State may hold regular examinations in Classes 5 and 8 and detain a child who fails the re-examination.
Statement-II: The RTE (Amendment) Act, 2019 ended the blanket no-detention policy for elementary classes.
Which one of the following is correct?
(a) Both statements are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
(b) Both statements are correct but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
(c) Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
(d) Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct
Answer (a).
Both correct; II explains I. The 2019 Amendment permits States to examine and (after a failed re-examination within two months) detain in Classes 5 and 8 — which is precisely why Statement-I describes the current position. Delhi has adopted detention.
Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: In a criterion-referenced test, a large spread of scores among students is essential.
Statement-II: Criterion-referenced interpretation compares performance with a pre-fixed mastery standard, not with other students.
Which one of the following is correct?
(a) Both statements are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
(b) Both statements are correct but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
(c) Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
(d) Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct
Answer (d).
Statement-I incorrect, Statement-II correct. Score spread is essential to NORM-referenced testing; a CRT is content if every student reaches mastery. Statement-II states the correct definition.
Arrange the steps of test standardisation in the correct sequence:
(i) Preparation of norms and the manual (ii) Planning the test (blueprint) (iii) Try-out and item analysis (iv) Writing and assembling items (v) Establishing reliability and validity
(a) (ii), (iv), (iii), (v), (i)
(b) (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (i)
(c) (iv), (ii), (iii), (i), (v)
(d) (ii), (iv), (v), (iii), (i)
Answer (a).
Plan → write items → try out & analyse → establish reliability/validity → prepare norms and manual. Norms always come last before the manual — any option putting norms before try-out is wrong.
STEPS OF TEST CONSTRUCTION AND STANDARDISATION
A standardised test is built in a fixed sequence. Exams ask the order ("which step comes immediately after…?") and the content of each step.
1. PLANNING – define objectives, content, target group, time, item types
2. BLUEPRINT – table of specifications (objectives × content × item type)
3. ITEM WRITING – drafting items per the blueprint
4. ITEM EDITING – expert review of language, accuracy, keying
5. PRE-TRY-OUT – small informal administration to catch defects
6. TRY-OUT (proper) – administration to a large representative sample
7. ITEM ANALYSIS – difficulty index, discrimination index, distractor analysis
8. ITEM SELECTION – retain the items that survive analysis; assemble final form
9. STANDARDISATION – establish RELIABILITY, VALIDITY and NORMS on the final form
10. TEST MANUAL – directions for administration, scoring, interpretation
Memorise three anchors:
Item analysis happens after the try-out, before the final form — never on the final published test.
Reliability, validity and norms are established on the final form, at the end.
The manual is the last step and the mark of a standardised test.
The examiner's angle
Stock items: "Arrange the steps in correct sequence"; "Item analysis is carried out at which stage?"; "Which of the following is prepared last?" (answer: the manual/norms).
The rest of this chapter
PREREQUISITES
STEPS OF TEST CONSTRUCTION AND STANDARDISATION
THE BLUEPRINT / TABLE OF SPECIFICATIONS
TYPES OF TEST ITEMS
ITEM ANALYSIS (the computational heart of this chapter)
