Exam Pattern

The aim of periodical assessments is to test understanding, knowledge, and application of concepts — while encouraging critical thinking, discipline, and academic growth.

See the Assessment Cycle Jump to Class Tables

PHOTO PLACEHOLDER — Students during a Cycle Test

Two Ground Rules

How assessment works, in brief

Every class follows a two-term structure, with periodic Cycle Tests, a major mid-year assessment, and an end-of-year examination — building steadily so no single test decides the year.

RULE 01

Two terms, evenly paced

Both Term I and Term II include two Cycle Tests plus one major examination and, from Class 5 onward, one project per subject.

RULE 02

Annual exams cover the full year

The Annual Examination (and, for Class 10, both Preparatory exams) tests the entire year's syllabus — not just Term II.

The Assessment Cycle

One Academic Year, Two Terms

Every class, from Grade 1 to Grade 10, moves through the same rhythm — only the marks and depth of assessment increase with grade level.

Term I

Building the foundation

2 Cycle Tests
Mid-Term Examination
Project (Classes 5+)

Term II

Proving the whole year

2 Cycle Tests
Annual Examination (full syllabus)
Project (Classes 5+)

The same two-term rhythm repeats every year, at increasing depth

Classes 1 to 4

Two terms, 100 marks each

In both Term I and Term II, students take two Cycle Tests (25 marks each) plus one Mid-Term or Annual Examination (50 marks). The Annual Examination covers the syllabus of the whole year.

Term	Exam / Test	Number	Allotted Mark	Total Mark
I	Cycle Test	2	25 each	50
	Mid-Term Examination	1	50	50
II	Cycle Test	2	25 each	50
	Annual Examination	1	50	50

Classes 5 to 9

Two terms, with projects added

Each term now also includes a subject project worth 20 marks. Term I carries a Mid-Term Examination (80 marks); Term II carries the Annual Examination (80 marks), which covers the whole year's syllabus.

Term	Exam / Test	Number	Allotted Mark	Total Mark
I	Cycle Test	2	25 each	50
	Mid-Term Examination	1	80	80
	Project	1	20	20
II	Cycle Test	2	25 each	50
	Annual Examination	1	80	80
	Project	1	20	20

Class 10

Two terms, two Preparatory exams

Term I mirrors Classes 5–9 with a Mid-Term Examination and Project. Term II replaces the single Annual Examination with two Preparatory examinations (80 marks each), alongside the Project.

Term	Exam / Test	Number	Allotted Mark	Total Mark
I	Cycle Test	2	25 each	50
	Mid-Term Examination	1	80	80
	Project	1	20	20
II	Cycle Test	2	25 each	50
	Preparatory I	1	80	80
	Project	1	20	20
	Preparatory II	1	80	80

Preparatory I and Preparatory II together serve as Class 10's lead-up to the ICSE board examination.

"Assessment at Shantiniketan is designed to test understanding and encourage growth — never just to produce a mark."

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