Comparative Analysis of Islamic Religious Education Assessment: Paradigm Shifts from Curriculum 2013 to Kurikulum Merdeka

Changes in Indonesia's national curriculum have directly influenced shifts in educational assessment paradigms, including those in Islamic Religious Education (PAI). This study aims to critically analyze and compare the assessment models employed in Islamic Religious Education under the 2013 Curriculum (K-13) and the Kurikulum Merdeka, while identifying the underlying paradigm shifts. The study adopts a descriptive qualitative approach based on library research. Data were collected from curriculum policy documents, textbooks, and reputable scholarly journal articles published between 2018 and 2026 and analyzed using content analysis. The findings reveal fundamental shifts across three major dimensions: (1) assessment orientation, transitioning from an emphasis on learning outcomes (assessment of learning) toward students' developmental processes (assessment for/as learning); (2) competency assessment, shifting from the rigid separation of attitudes, knowledge, and skills under K-13 toward the integration of holistic competencies based on Learning Outcomes (Capaian Pembelajaran, CP); and (3) assessment flexibility, moving from relatively standardized scoring rubrics toward differentiated assessment instruments and adaptive authentic assessment practices. The study concludes that the Kurikulum Merdeka provides Islamic Religious Education teachers with greater opportunities for reflective assessment, enabling them to evaluate students' internalization of religious values in more natural and authentic ways.