Chennai: To improve the academic standards of the Anna University and to prevent students from outsmarting the relative grading system, the university’s academic council has decided to set a minimum pass mark for students studying at the university departments.
As per the decision, students need to secure at least 50 per cent marks to clear the subject. Along with the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS), the university has introduced the relative grading system for the students at four university departments, including the College of Engineering, Guindy (CEG) and Madras Institute of Technology (MIT), Chromepet in 2015-16.
Under the relative grading, the pass mark was not a fixed one. The students will be awarded the grades based on the collective performance of the class.
While the pass percentage of the students have improved significantly under the new system in the last two years, the professors have complained that the standard has gone down.
“Under the relative grading, a student with one or two marks can clear the exam with internal marks. State toppers are studying in these four colleges. We should ensure a minimum standard by fixing the pass marks,” a professor from the university said.
After receiving several complaints, the university now has fixed minimum marks for clearing the subjects.
“Based on our experience, we have fixed a minimum pass marks for students of the university departments. As per the decision, a student needs to secure a minimum of 50 per cent marks to clear the subject,” said T.V. Geetha, director of Academic Courses, Anna University and dean, CEG.
The university has conducted four-semester exams under the relative grading system. Explaining the advantages of the system, a professor said, “The relative grading system aims to remove the bias of the faculty members.”
Irrespective of how the faculty members have evaluated the papers, the grades would be awarded based on the collective performance.
“For example, if 60 marks are the first mark in a class, the student would get an outstanding grade and if it was the last mark in another class, then, the student will not clear the exam,” he added.
“We are experimenting with the relative grading system. Students may need to score high marks to get good grades. We will review it again in the next year,” officials said.
The university wanted to implement the relative grading system for the affiliated colleges as well. But, the academic council has decided to implement it later.
What is relative grading
- Anna University previously followed absolute grading. if a student scores 60 he will get first class and the grade is fixed with the marks.
- Now, the grade is fixed with the relative performance of all the students, not with the marks.
- For example, if the first mark in the class is 60 then he will get the grade of 90 marks and those students who get less than 50 also could clear the paper.
