CBSE Grading System : Setting the Context

Schools begin ranking students, on the basis of their marks, from as early as their pre- primary years. Such a drive has several negative effects on learning.  Students, parents and society at large become anxious in the race to acquire more and more marks in examinations which leads to an extremely stressful existence. Moreover, though all out efforts are made to enhance the reliability of examination, the human error cannot  be avoided. This shortcoming can be overcome if the students are placed in ability bands that represent range of scores.

The National Policy on Education 1986 (NPE) and Programme of Action 1992 (POA) also envisaged the recasting of the examination system and has, inter alia, suggested that grades be used in place of marks. 1.3 National Curriculum Framework 2005(NCF) envisaged an evaluation system which would grade the students on their regular activities in the classroom and enable students to understand and focus on their learning gaps and learn through these as part of Formative Assessment.

The introduction of grades in the examinations  has been debated in CBSE also during the past through various Committees and platforms. The CBSE has also held countrywide consultations and deliberations with eminent educationists including experts from Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Indian Institute of Management (IIM), National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) and schools affiliated to CBSE.