Published Paper Details:

Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) was introduced into the Indian education system as a radical reform designed to shift the academic paradigm from traditional, rote-learning and examination-centric methods toward a holistic, learner-centered assessment model. Rooted in formative assessment principles and constructivist theories, CCE integrates cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains to reduce student anxiety and provide ongoing diagnostic and remedial feedback. However, its nationwide execution has consistently encountered a persistent "policy-practice gap" that prevents it from realizing its full pedagogical potential in the classroom. This study provides a systematic review and meta-analysis of empirical research following PRISMA guidelines to synthesize peer-reviewed literature published over the past 15 years, examining broad geographical public and private school contexts across India. Utilizing a mixed-methods data analysis procedure, the findings reveal a distinct duality in outcomes: while CCE successfully mitigates exam-related anxiety and recognizes diverse student talents, it can also result in an overwhelming volume of project work that makes learning feel mechanical, and a lack of traditional examination pressure can inadvertently diminish learner motivation. For educators, the core theoretical goals of CCE are severely undermined by a heavy non-teaching clerical workload, excessive documentation, high pupil-teacher ratios, and an acute lack of practical professional training. Furthermore, sharp institutional disparities exist, as well-resourced private schools generally facilitate a smoother transition to CCE due to superior institutional backing, whereas government schools heavily struggle under severe resource limitations and administrative stress. Conversely, findings indicate that integrating ICT tools (such as rubrics and digital presentations) effectively streamlines record-keeping and helps teachers manage evaluation techniques without increasing clerical burdens. Ultimately, this study concludes that to bridge the policy-practice gap and ensure true holistic student development, educational authorities must urgently streamline reporting frameworks through digital mechanisms, improve school infrastructure, provide hands-on pedagogical training, and reorient classroom culture toward meaningful activity-based learning.