We are deeply concerned about the recent scoring practices in the creative writing assessment of the GATE/ASET Examination 2025. Specifically, we wish to address the alarming trend of assigning ZERO scores to students' creative writing submissions, which we believe is unjust and detrimental to their educational experience.

1. Impact on Students: The assignment of ZERO scores not only undermines the hard work and creativity demonstrated by students but also significantly impacts their motivation and self-esteem. Many young writers (10-11 age) pour their hearts into their narratives, only to be met with a harsh and discouraging score that fails to reflect their abilities or efforts.
2. Lack of Clear Criteria:“Communicating Ideas in Writing (CIIW) works must be spontaneous and original pieces of writing clearly inspired by the prompt. Zero scores in CIIW are assigned to students whose work shows no plausible relationship to the prompt (off-topic) and/or is identified as a pre-prepared response.” this is a very unfair and a cruel statement to be issued. The criteria used to evaluate creative writing must be transparent and fair. Many students and parents have expressed confusion about the expectations set forth by the examiners, leading to inconsistencies in scoring. We urge the evaluation committee to provide clear guidelines that encourage creativity and originality rather than stifling them.
3. Call for Change: We propose the establishment of a more supportive and fair scoring system that values and encourages creative writing. This includes: Implementing a rubric that assesses creativity, coherence, and engagement, rather than penalizing students with arbitrary scores OR re-do the test with clear guidelines. Providing constructive feedback alongside scores to help students grow and learn from their experiences.
4. Ensuring that all evaluators are trained to recognize and appreciate creative expression in diverse forms.
5. Request for Review: We respectfully ask the relevant authorities to review the current scoring practices and consider the voices of students, parents, and educators in this matter. A fair and just evaluation system is essential for fostering a love of writing and creativity in our young learners.

By signing this petition, we stand united in our demand for a fair reassessment of the creative writing scoring system in the GATE/ASET Examination. We believe that every student deserves to be recognized for their unique voice and creative talents.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.