Development And Validation Of Criterion Test On Social Science Among IX Students In Tamil Nadu State Board Syllabus

This study presents the systematic development and validation of a criterion-referenced
test (CRT) designed to evaluate academic achievement in Social Science among IX standard
students under the Tamil Nadu State Board syllabus. Focusing on two content units -
“Evolution of Humans and Society – Prehistoric Period” and “Lithosphere – II – Exogenic Processes” - the test development followed rigorous steps including blueprinting, pilot testing,
item analysis, and expert validation. Initially, a 94-item multiple-choice test was constructed.
Item analysis based on difficulty and discrimination indexes led to the selection of 50 items for
the final draft. The final test demonstrates strong content and face validity and is intended to
serve as a reliable tool for assessing learning outcomes aligned with Bloom’s cognitive domains.
The study contributes to educational measurement by offering a curriculum-specific, empirically
validated assessment tool suitable for classroom and research use.