In an innovative move aimed at empowering the young women with valuable insights for future career planning and personal development, Punjab Government has introduced Psychometric tests for girl students to discover their strength and aptitude. The psychometric tests will be conducted on class 10th girl students studying in government schools.
Divulging the details about the project, Punjab School Education Minister S. Harjot Singh Bains informed that the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has allocated over Rs. 6.56 crore to all districts for conducting psychometric tests for 10th-grade girls in government schools. This program will benefit as many as 93,819 students, with all girls to be covered by March 31st, 2025.
To ensure smooth implementation, district-level committees have been formed under the leadership of District Education Officers (Secondary) across Punjab. These committees will oversee the testing process and monitor all operations within their respective districts.
The primary objective of this initiative is to analyse students' mental abilities, interests, and personality traits to guide them towards making informed career choices. S. Harjot Singh Bains said that majority of students face the confusion after their 10th board exams regarding their future career paths.
This decision significantly impacts their choice of stream in 11th grade. While private schools often provide career counselling, government school students lack this support, leading them to rely on their peers' choices. This often results in students selecting streams that may not align with their interests and abilities, ultimately hindering their career prospects.
Recognising the importance of this issue, the School Education Minister said that the Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government has introduced the psychometric test to provide government school students with the opportunities at par with private school students, enabling them to choose their careers with confidence. It will also empower them to choose paths that align with their strengths and interests.
This initiative will not only make students more confident and aware of their future but will also improve the quality and standards of education in in government schools, he added.