Chennai: The first batch of students from Anna University who studied under the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) have showed a big improvement as their pass percentage increased by 21 per cent compared to previous year students who had studied in the conventional system.
In the first semester exams in December 2015, over 90 per cent students cleared all papers compared with 69.63 per cent in December 2014. The pass percentage in College of Engineering, Guindy (CEG) has increased from 70 per cent to 91.52 per cent, in AC Tech campus in Guindy it increased from 65 per cent to 89.46 per cent and in MIT campus in Chrompet it increased from 77.77 per cent to 91 per cent.
First year students usually find Engineering Maths tough. Even the state toppers in CEG campus have recorded only 76.37 per cent in the previous year.
This has increased to 93.44 per cent under CBCS. The other two campuses also have recorded high pass percentage with 94.81 per cent students from AC Tech campus clearing the maths paper and 94.87 per cent students from MIT campus securing pass marks.
In the previous year, students from these two campuses recorded pass percentage of 69.96 per cent and 76.86 per cent respectively in Engineering Maths subject.
“The relative grading method and the flexibility in CBCS system are the main reasons for the steep increase in the pass percentage,” Anna University Professors said.
CBCS was introduced in all the four university departments from the academic year(2015-16). Now, second batch students are studying under the system.
Under relative grading, if all the students collectively scored low marks then the pass mark also will come down. The pass mark is not a fixed one.
“The marks and grades of the students will vary according to the relative performance of the all the students,” a professor said. Students also have the freedom to select the elective courses of their liking in the new system. “Earlier, they have to study whatever the courses offered to them. But under CBCS, students can select their electives and the faculty. Students can also enrol in the courses offered in other departments as well,” he said. Besides, the fundamental and core courses students also allowed to take elective and employability courses offered in other departments.
