As per the new government rules, the SSC Board has adopted a nine-point relative grading system, ‘Grade Point Average (GPA)’ for evaluating the performance of the students in SSC Public examination, 2012.
There would be nine grades for assigning namely, A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2, D1, D2, E/Fail and the corresponding grade points ranging from 3-10 points for each grade. Grades would be assigned to each subject separately along with grade points. For the subjects failed in, no grade would be assigned. Thus, all successful candidates would be put under eight grades and the unsuccessful candidates would be put under a different grade.
The sum of the points is found and is divided by the number of subjects to obtain the grade scored by the student. The corresponding grade and grade points are as follows.
Whether to adopt a grading system was decided in 2005. A committee was formed to suggest grading systems and to reduce question papers.
The Relative Grading System was adopted in 2010 and Absolute Grading System in May 2011. The SSC results, 2011 were released with Absolute Grading System and also indicated the marks.
Writ petitions filed in the HC sought the Government to give only grades and not marks. More recently the court directed the Government to announce the results only through grading system.
Benefits of Grades
Government sources say, the new system would cut down loathe and stress on students because now there would not be any senseless competition for higher marks and ranks. It would uproot unhealthy competition among top achievers and reduce societal pressure. It would also address the problem of subjectivity in valuation of answer scripts.
According to academic experts, students scoring 92 and 98 percentage points have the same level of intellect. Marks depend on different factors and do not generally reflect the students’ intelligence. The National Curriculum Framework has taken note of and recommended these points.
Source: The Hindu