Thiruvananthapuram: Although minimum marks have been set to regulate the high scores in school examinations, there is no shortage in awarding grace marks. The Department of General Education issued an order the other day for the second allotment of grace marks this year. Ten marks will be awarded to the winners of the Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council’s (K-DISC) Sasthrapadham programme. Minister V Sivankutty had earlier announced grace marks for reading.

 

The grace marks are applicable to high school, higher secondary, and vocational higher secondary school students who win K-DISC’s Sasthrapadham – Young Innovative Programme. The action taken by the Department of General Education comes despite concerns that awarding grace marks affects the examination results in Classes 10 and 12, and that these marks are considered during the qualification process for higher studies.

 

There has been a longstanding demand for a grade point system for students who excel in various fields, to replace grace marks — a move believed to be more beneficial in the long run. A committee headed by former SCERT director J Prasad had recommended that grace marks be revised scientifically. However, the report is yet to be released. Following revelations that students under the Kerala syllabus were awarded grace marks, higher educational institutions such as Delhi University began requesting confidential certificates stating the marks obtained in the written examination alone.

 

The practice of awarding grace marks has been criticised for altering the results of Class 10 and 12 examinations, particularly in relation to full A+ grades. Although the new curriculum framework proposes including students’ extracurricular excellence in continuous assessments, the Department of Public Education continues to award grace marks annually. While science fair winners already receive grace marks, it has now been decided to award separate marks for Sasthrapadham as well.

 

Sasthrapadham winners to get 10 marks

Currently, grace marks range from three to 100. For instance, second-place winners in the Kerala State Legal Service Authority quiz competition receive three grace marks. First-place winners in international sports competitions are awarded 100 grace marks; second place receives 90, third place 75, and so on. Students receive grace marks in 16 categories including:

  • School Kalolsavam (20 marks)
  • Science Festival (15 marks)
  • Science Seminar (10 marks)
  • Student Police (20 marks)
  • National Children's Science Congress (25 marks)
  • Scouts (25 marks)
  • NSS (20 marks)
  • Little Kites (15 marks)
  • NCC (20 to 40 marks)