Schools welcome CBSE grade rule

Updated on: Thursday, September 10, 2009

Kolkata: The decision by CBSE to start the grading system from the 2009-2010 session is a welcome relief for many schools.

“Earlier, there was a report that the Class X board examination would be optional from this session. Now that we know grades will be introduced from this session itself and the Class X exam will be made optional in the next, there’s some relief,” says Malini Bhagat principal of Mahadevi Birla Girls’ Higher Secondary School.

“Now, hopefully, there will be end to the fear psychosis that students face due to exams. At the age of 15, facing the first public examination definitely makes life miserable for many. I believe it is better to judge students’ academic abilities when they move on to Class XII and attain maturity,” says principal of Birla High School For Boys, Mukta Nain.

For CBSE chairman Vineet Joshi, however, the decision was taken only after some detailed observations. “When students are judged on the basis of their marks, research shows that in any evaluation system there are minor errors ranging between 5% to 15%. If that be so, then how can we claim that a score of 45 is absolutely error free?” he asked.

Under the new system which they plan to introduce, the board has decided to go in for a nine-point grading scale — grades A1, A2, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3 and E. Those students who receive marks between 95 to 100 will be graded as A1 while those scoring 90 to 94 will get grade A2. Marks between 80 to 89 will be graded B1 while grade B2 will be for scores between 70 to 79. Subsequently, scores from 60 to 69, 50 to 59, 40 to 49, 33 to 39 will be graded as B3, C1, C2 and C3 respectively. Marks below 33 will be graded as E (needs improvement).

Ahana Ganguly, a student of Class X at a central Kolkata school says, “I believe there are goof ups even on the part of teachers. Moreover, even a 0.1% higher score can make a difference while taking admission to a good school. If the board does away with the marking system altogether, there will be no tension and suicides among students.”

Meena Kak, principal of Lakshmipat Singhania Academy says, “Is there really any difference in the Intelligence Quotient of a child who gets 95% and another who scores 95.1% marks? The grading system will even out the disparity.

Schools welcome CBSE grade rule

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