Government of India · Ministry of Education · Department of School Education & Literacy
SQ
SQAAF PARAKH · NCERT
Aligned with NEP 2020 & National Curriculum Framework

A national framework to assess, assure, and elevate the quality of every school in India.

The School Quality Assessment & Assurance Framework (SQAAF) gives schools a structured, evidence-backed pathway to evaluate themselves across five domains — and turn insight into measurable improvement.

5 Core Domains
53 Sub-Domains
1,047 Max Score
20% Each Weighted
SQAAF
Five Domains
Equal Weight
Administration 20%
Curriculum 20%
Assessment 20%
Infrastructure 20%
Inclusiveness 20%
Endorsed by
Ministry of Education, GoI NCERT PARAKH NEP 2020 Aligned NCF Compliant
01 Why SQAAF

Quality cannot be assumed. It must be measured, witnessed, and improved.

For decades, school evaluations in India have been compliance-led rather than improvement-led. SQAAF reverses this — providing a single, structured framework that schools can use to honestly assess themselves and chart a forward path.

i.

Fragmented assessment standards across boards

State boards, CBSE, ICSE, and international boards have historically used incomparable quality benchmarks — making equity in school evaluation impossible.

ii.

Compliance over continuous improvement

Existing audits focus on minimum standards rather than evolving practice. SQAAF embeds a growth-oriented model into the assessment itself.

iii.

No path from finding to action

Without a structured framework, schools struggle to translate inspection findings into concrete next steps. SQAAF closes this loop with a 3-step process.

SQAAF responds to the call of NEP 2020 — establishing equitable, learner-centric, evidence-based quality assurance as a national standard.
Read NEP Alignment →
02 The Five Domains

One school. Five dimensions. Equal weight, holistic view.

Each domain is broken down into sub-domains and granular indicators, each rated against three performance levels with evidence-supported scoring.

Administration

Domain 1 · Governance & Leadership

Leadership, vision, financial stewardship, staff development, stakeholder engagement, and school safety.

Curriculum

Domain 2 · Learning Design

Curriculum alignment, learner-centred pedagogy, 21st-century skills, digital literacy, arts, and multilingual education.

मू

Assessment

Domain 3 · Evaluation Practice

Competency-based assessment, Holistic Progress Cards, formative & summative methods, integrity, and credit systems.

सं

Infrastructure

Domain 4 · Physical & Digital

Basic amenities, smart classrooms, labs, library, playgrounds, green buildings, and sustainable practices.

Inclusiveness

Domain 5 · Equity & Belonging

Special needs support, gender sensitivity, tribal engagement, socio-economic inclusivity, and talent nurturance.

03 Levels of Performance

Three tiers. One upward trajectory.

Every sub-domain question is rated against three benchmarks — drawn from the Sanskrit lexicon of educational growth — that capture not just where a school stands, but where it is headed.

LEVEL 01
Abhilasha
अभिलाषा · "Aspiration"
<60%
  • Minimal or inconsistent implementation of quality practices
  • Limited adherence to national and regional educational standards
  • Lack of structured systems for planning, monitoring, and feedback
  • Inadequate resources or infrastructure to meet benchmarks
LEVEL 02
Pragati
प्रगति · "Progress"
60-75%
  • Partial alignment with SQAAF standards
  • Moderate engagement of stakeholders
  • Practices are functional but lack consistency or scalability
  • Identifiable room for improvement in monitoring systems
LEVEL 03
Jagriti
जागृति · "Awakening"
>75%
  • Complete alignment with national and SQAAF benchmarks
  • Implementation of innovative, learner-centred practices
  • Strong systems for monitoring, feedback, and improvement
  • Focus on inclusiveness, sustainability, and holistic development
04 The Self-Assessment Portal

From 250+ indicator questions to a clear, actionable report — in one workflow.

A live preview of the school-facing self-assessment interface. Save progress, upload supporting evidence, and submit for review — all in a single, structured experience.

Domain 2 — Curriculum / Sub-domain 5 · Skill-based Education

How effectively does the school integrate skill-based education aligned with national vocational frameworks?

Q-CUR-5.2 Indicator weightage: 6 points Required evidence: 2 documents
Abhilasha
+2 pts
Skill-based modules are absent or treated as optional extras with no curricular linkage.
Pragati
+4 pts
Skill modules exist for select grades but vocational framework alignment is partial.
Jagriti
+6 pts
Full integration across grades, mapped to NSQF levels, with certified vocational educators.
Supporting Evidence

Upload curriculum maps, NSQF certificates, or workshop reports (PDF · DOCX · JPG · max 10 MB)

+ Add Evidence
05 The 3-Step SQAAF Journey

Not just rating — a deliberate path to improvement.

SQAAF is designed to move schools beyond self-rating into reflection, planning, and demonstrable change. The process is the product.

01

Self-Reflect

Systematically assess current practices across the 5 domains using data, evidence, and stakeholder feedback.

02

Analyse Gaps

Critically review strengths and improvement areas through the auto-generated domain-wise gap report.

03

Plan Action

Formulate and implement targeted interventions tied to specific sub-domain weaknesses with a roadmap.

04

Measure Impact

Reassess outcomes in the next cycle to guide continuous, evidence-based institutional planning.

06 The Outcome Dashboard

Every score becomes a decision.

The moment your school submits the assessment, SQAAF auto-generates a domain-wise performance dashboard, identifies your overall band, and recommends a sub-domain-level action plan.

01
Domain-wise Radar

See your school's shape of strength across all five quality dimensions.

02
Band Determination

Auto-calculated Abhilasha / Pragati / Jagriti rating with percentile context.

03
Sub-domain Action Plan

Lowest-scoring indicators auto-surface with framework-aligned next steps.

04
Year-on-Year Tracking

Compare cycles to evidence continuous improvement to authorities & community.

School Quality Report · Cycle 2025–26
Issued · 14 Mar 2026
73%
Pragati
Performing Satisfactorily
Score · 764 / 1,047 · ↑ 7% vs last cycle
Administration
82%
Curriculum
71%
Assessment
68%
Infrastructure
54%
Inclusiveness
79%
"

The responsibility of nurturing the next generation lies with all of us. Through SQAAF, we can ensure that every school becomes a beacon of learning, innovation, and equity.

Shri Sanjay Kumar
Secretary · Department of School Education & Literacy · Ministry of Education, GoI

Begin your school's SQAAF journey today.

Register your institution with PARAKH to access the full self-assessment portal, evidence locker, and the official quality certification roadmap.