Formative Evaluation: Evaluation is called formative evaluation when its purpose is to modify the educational proposals and to make them more relevant to the individual student’s needs. When the evaluation of the learning activity is based on the formative approach, it must be as analytical as possible. Formative evaluation is a tool for providing feedback to the teaching/learning process. This type of instruction motivates the teacher and the student and reinforces learning by providing feedback to both of them. The process of ‘self-assessment’ serves the purpose of formative evaluation. Formative assessment is concerned with identifying learner weakness in attainment with a view to helping the learner and the teacher overcome/remedy those.​ Characteristics of the formative assessment:

• Builds on students’ prior knowledge and experience in designing what is taught.
• Is conducted at regular intervals on an informal basis.
• Is diagnostic and remedial. It should be noted that since evaluation happens at regular interval, hence a teacher focuses on the identification of the minor learning difficulties of a student.
• Ensures provision for effective feedback.
• Provides a platform for the active involvement of students in their own learning.
• Provides feedback enabling teachers to adjust their classroom interaction strategies to the emerging needs of the students.
• Encourages intrinsic motivation and self-esteem of students, both of which have crucial influences on learning performance.
• Recognizes the need for students to be able to assess themselves and understand how to improve.
• Incorporates varied learning styles to decide how and what to teach.
• Encourages students to understand the criteria that will be used to judge their work.
• Offers an opportunity for students to improve their work after they get feedback.
• Helps students to support their peer group and vice-versa.

Hence, we conclude that the purpose of formative evaluation in Mathematics is the identification of minor learning difficulties of students.