Kerala's ITI admission process has come under scrutiny after concerns emerged that rank lists are being prepared using notional marks assigned to SSLC grades rather than students' actual examination scores, raising questions about merit and fairness.
Kozhikode: A controversy has emerged over ITI admissions in Kerala, with critics alleging that rank lists are being prepared using notional or "imaginary" marks because the state's SSLC results provide only grades and not the actual marks scored by students.
Industrial Training Institute (ITI) admissions in Kerala are facing criticism over the method used to prepare rank lists, as actual SSLC marks are not available when the admission process begins.
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Since Kerala's SSLC examination system records grades instead of exact marks on certificates, admission authorities convert grades into predetermined marks to prepare merit lists. Critics argue that this system fails to accurately reflect students' actual performance and may disadvantage higher-scoring candidates.
The issue has resurfaced as applications for ITI admissions are underway and rank lists are set to be published in July.
Why 'imaginary marks' are being used
Kerala's SSLC grading system does not disclose detailed marks along with examination results. As a result, admission authorities assign fixed numerical values to each grade category while preparing rank lists.
Under the current system:
- A+ Grade = 95 marks
- A Grade = 85 marks
- B+ Grade = 75 marks
- B Grade = 65 marks
- C+ Grade = 55 marks
- C Grade = 45 marks
- D+ Grade = 35 marks
- D Grade = 25 marks
- E Grade = 15 marks
This means that students receiving the same grade are awarded identical marks for admission purposes, regardless of their actual score within that grade range.
For example, a student who scored 90 marks and another who scored 100 marks in a subject may both receive an A+ grade and be assigned the same notional score of 95 for ITI admission ranking.
Concerns over merit and fairness
Education observers and students have questioned whether the conversion system accurately reflects merit.
Critics argue that students who scored significantly higher marks within a grade band may lose their advantage because all candidates in the same grade category receive the same admission score.
As a result, differences in actual examination performance may not be reflected in the final ITI rank list.
The controversy has renewed calls for greater transparency in the SSLC evaluation system and for providing actual marks to students during the admission period.
SSLC marks unavailable during admission season
According to examination rules, detailed score information is generally not made available immediately after SSLC results are announced.
Only students securing A+ grades in all subjects receive special recognition, while detailed score-based distinctions among other students are not reflected in the published results.
Although government provisions allow students to apply later for detailed mark information by paying a prescribed fee, critics point out that such information often becomes available only after key admission processes have already begun.
This means many applicants must compete for seats before obtaining access to their exact scores.
ITI admission schedule announced
The admission process for Kerala ITIs is currently underway.
Key dates include:
- Last date for online applications: June 30
- Publication of rank list: July 7
- Commencement of admissions: July 13
With thousands of students expected to compete for seats, the debate over the use of grade-based notional marks is likely to continue as admission procedures move forward.
Published: 17 Jun 2026, 09:59 am IST
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