GRADING SYSTEM

Dr SAJEENA S.
  The usual practice of assessment in schools is through
conducting examinations. One of the major drawbacks
of our examination system is reporting students’
Grading
performance in terms of marks. In order to minimize the
System
limitations of present-day examinations system, a major
reform concerns transforming the marking system into a
grading system.
 Grading is a process of classifying students
based on their performance into groups with the
help of predetermined standards, expressed in a
symbolic form i.e., letters of English alphabet.
 As these grade and corresponding symbols are
pre-determined and well defined, the entire
stakeholder would understand them uniformly
and consistently.
 While developing the grading system, it is of
utmost significance that the meaning of each
grading symbol be clearly spelt out.
 Comparing grades awarded by a single teacher (intra-
group) and by, different teacher (inter-group) with
reference to a larger group is considered as norm-
referenced. This would help in locating the position of a
student in a larger group.
 Hence, norm-referenced measures would help in
comparing the grades awarded by different teachers and
institutions.
 Thus, the grades may be used for communicating the
students’ performance with reference to specified
criteria and also the relative position of students with
reference to their peer group.
 - As grading involves grouping the students according to
their attainment levels, it helps in categorizing the students
as per their attainments of instructional objectives also.

- One of the significant arguments in favour of the grading

system is that it creates favourable conditions for
Merits of classification of students’ performance on a more
Grading convincing and justifiable scale.
System
- Grading is a far more satisfactory method than the
numerical marking system.

- The justification for the superiority of grading system over

marking system is that it signifies individual learner’s
performance in the form of a certain level of achievement
in relation to the whole group.
- Achievement of examinees in different subjects can be
known separately.

- Errors of measurement are reduced to minimum base i.e.

achievement of different students may by easily compared.

- In grading system, inter-subject comparison of the same

examinee and inter-examinees comparison in a particular
subject is possible.

- Grading system takes the emphasis away from marks.

- This system is a boon to weak students than the bright

students.

- It reduces fear and complexities among the students.

 - There is lack of consensus among the educators with
regard to points of the scale.

- The grade system is very sensitive. While awarding marks,

examiner may switch over from 60 to 65 easily, but the
same is not in the case of grades.
Demerits:
- Subjectivity in evaluation is possible like marking system.

- It is easy to convert marks into grades but vice-versa is

difficult.

- Lack of uniformity in grading creates confusion and

interpretation of the result.
  On the basis of the reference point of awarding grades,
grades are classified as Direct and Indirect, it is also
Types of divided into two as Absolute and Relative. The reference
Grading point in former classification is an approach and in the
System later, a standard of judgment. Absolute and relative
grading come under indirect grading.
  There are some occasions when it is neither desirable nor
feasible to measure learning performance in terms of
quantitative measures and hence assessment is made
qualitatively.
 The process of assessing students’ performance
Direct qualitatively and expressing it in terms of letter grades
Grading directly is called direct grading. This type of grading can
be used for assessment of students’ performance in both
scholastic and co- scholastic areas. However, direct
grading is mostly preferred in the assessment of co-
scholastic learning outcomes.
 If the assessment is reported by assigning letter grades,
the method is known as direct grading. Thus, when a
student's performance (in an activity or in response to a
question) is assessed qualitatively by the evaluator
through assigning letter grades like A for 'outstanding',
B for 'very good', C for 'good', D for 'satisfactory' and F
for 'unsatisfactory', the method is known as 'direct
grading’.
 This method can be used for grading both cognitive and
non-cognitive learning outcomes. But it is normally
used when the number of questions or testing situations
are few and the numbers of examinees are also few. The
method is preferred for assessment of noncognitive
learning outcomes.
  The merits of direct grading are:

 (i) It minimizes the inter-examiner variability; and

 (ii) It is easier to use when compared with other methods of

Merits & grading.
demerits of  De merits:
direct  (i) Direct grading lacks objectivity and precision and also
grading diagnostic value.
 (ii) It does not have transparency and diagnostic value

 (iii) It does not encourage competition to the extent required.

  At many occasions we assess students' performance in a
test in quantitative terms (i.e. in terms of marks) and
then convert it into letter grades by using different
modes.
Indirect  This type of grading is known as 'indirect grading’.
Grading
 Thus, when students' performance is assessed in terms
of marks and later converted into letter grade by
adopting different modes keeping in view the purpose of
assessment, it is called indirect grading.
 It is generally used in the following situations

- When the number of subjects (examinees) is large.

- Learning outcomes can be assessed in terms of marks.
- Subjects have appeared in a public examination.
 On the basis of the mode of transformation of marks
into grades, there are two types of grading, viz. absolute
grading and relative grading.
 Absolute grading is based on a pre- determined standard that
becomes the reference point for students’ performance. In absolute
grading, the marks are directly converted into grade on the grades on
the basis of a pre-determined standard. Absolute grading can be on a
Absolute three- point, five- point or nine –point scale for primary, upper
Grading primary and secondary stages respectively.
•Three-Point Scale: Students are classified into three groups as
above average, average and below average on the basis of pre-
determined range of score as shown in below table.
Range of marks Grade Description

60% and above A Above Average

30% -Less than 60% B Average

Below 30% C Below Average

 Five- Point Scale: Students are classified into
five groups, distinction, first division, second
division, third division and unsatisfactory on the
basis of pre-determined range of score as shown
in below table.
Range of marks Grade Description

75% and Above A Distinction/Excellent

60%- Less than 75% B First Division/Good

45%-Less than 60% C Second Division/Average

33%-Less than 45% D Third Division/ Below Average

Below 33% E Unsatisfactory/Poor

 Nine- Point Scale: In absolute grading the range of absolute
marks or percentage of marks need not necessarily be of
equal size. The range of marks as a pre-determined standard
for classifying students into different groups may be taken
as arbitrary.
 In a nine- point grading scale, the students may be classified
into nine groups, namely, outstanding, excellent, very good,
good, above average, below average, marginal and
unsatisfactory. An example of nine-point absolute grading is
provided in below table.
Sl No. Range of Marks Grade Description

1 90% and Above A Outstanding

2 80%- Less than 90% B Excellent

3 70%- Less than 80% C Very Good

4 60%- Less than 70% D Good

5 50%- Less than 60% E Above Average

6 40%- Less than 50% F Average

7 30%- Less than 40% G Below Average

8 20%- Less than 30% H Marginal

9 Below 20% I Unsatisfactory

 

- The procedure of assigning absolute grades is quite

simple and straight forward.
Utility of - It reflects the individual performance in a particular
Absolute subject without any reference to the group he/she
Grading belongs.
- This characteristic of the system makes it useful for
criterion referenced evaluation.
 - Absolute grading cannot be used to know the
comparative performance of a student in different
subjects.
- This type of grading should not be used for comparing
Limitations of the performance of different students.
Absolute - It is based on face value of measured scores and
Grading therefore ignores the error of measurement.
- The cut offs to define standard for making categories
are arbitrarily decided, therefore, they don't have any
scientific basis.
  In this evaluation, we rank the student in a group on the basis
of higher relative level of achievement. The grades, generally
known as relative grades or norm referenced grades. This
grading is very different from absolute grading.
 Relative grading or norm referenced grading is the process
Relative of-assigning letter grades to students on the basis of ranking
Grading them on their relative level of achievement in a particular
group.
 For this method of grading a decision is made in advance
about approximately what percentage or proportion of
students would be awarded a particular letter grade on the
basis of their relative performance.
 Grade Relative Performance

A Highest 10% to 20% of students

For example, a decision
may be made that top
10% to 20% of the B Higher 20% to 30% of students
students will be
assigned 'A' grade and C Next 30% to 50% of students
so on, as given

D Lower 10% to 20% of students

E Lowest 0% to 10% of students

 - Relative system is based on the assumption that achievement (true measure) is
normally distributed and a grade assigned to a particular student reflects higher
position in the group in terms of higher level of achievement. In one subject
he/she may be assigned D after obtaining 35 marks where as in other subject
he/she may be assigned E for scoring the same and therefore no grade signifies
Merits of the failure of a student. Thus, the negative effect of pass and fail is completely

Relative eliminated by adopting this grading system.

Grading - This grading provides the relative position of different students in a group, that
is why it can be used for comparative judgement as required in norms
referenced testing.

- Difficulty level of the test does not affect this type of grading because it is
based on the judgement of comparative performance.

- Undue emphasis on raw score is minimized.

- Inter examiner variations are also minimized through this grading.

 - If the group is small, the assumption about normality
of distribution of achievement is an unrealistic
Limitations of assumption. In such a situation it is better to evolve
other criteria for assigning grades. This may be done
Relative by evolving consensus among teachers in a school or
Grading school complex.
- It fails to provide the level of achievement of any
student in absolute term.
 Relative grading refers to a system of evaluation that allows
educators to convert the outcomes of a student’s test, project
or assignment and adjust that final grade in relation to
grades from other students in the course.
 Unlike the system of absolute grading, where a student’s
score on a given test or assignment directly converts into a
letter grade, relative grading means students’ marks
fluctuate depending on how they did compare to others in
class.
  Grading system is considered as the most viable and
systematic process to assess the outcomes of teaching-
learning process, it is not free from criticism due to
several reasons which are listed below;
  There is a possibility of different examiners
Limitation of interpreting the standard differently resulting in inter-
Grading examiner variability.
System   Grading stipulates strict adherence to pre-defined
criteria.
  In absolute grading, the students are put into
different categories on the basis of predetermined
range of scores.
  Relative grading, though scientific is considered somewhat
complicated for teachers, especially when they are not equipped
to implement it in their classes.

  Grades are often awarded without employing both multiple

criteria and multiple sources of information.

  The percentage of students belonging to different grades is pre-

determined and the grades are not awarded on the basis of
individual student’s performance but are decided on the basis of
performance of students in a larger group.

  Lack of uniform policy on grading across different State Boards

of Education creates a problem of compatibility of grade
awarded on different criteria in different board examinations.
  A Grade Point Average is a number that indicates score
on an average. A grade point can be a number or a letter.
Grade Point For example, if the grade is A it usually stands for a
Average number, usually, a multiple of 4 so if one get an A then
(GPA) the GPA would be 4 and if one get a B then the grade
point goes to 3 and the scale keeps shifting according to
the grading system.
 Let’s assume you took 3 courses with 3 credits each.
Here are the points for different grades:
Subject 1- A (4 on GPA scale)
Subject 2- C (2 on GPA scale)
Subject 3- B (3 on GPA scale)

 Now if we multiply the grade by the credits we get 12 for Subject 1, 6 for
Subject 2, 9 for Subject 3. If we add up these numbers your total grade
point is 27 and if we divide it by the total credits which is 9 (3+3+3) we
get the number 3, hence 3 is your GPA. Hence once can see how credits
also play an important role in determining your grade point.
  CGPA stands for Cumulative Grade Point Average. It is
usually used to measure the overall academic performance of
a student.
Cumulative  CGPA is calculated by obtaining the mean of the GPA that a
Grade Point student is awarded every semester and is divided by the total
Average number of credits.
(CGPA)  As per the CGPA system, certain grades are allotted to a range
of marks such as Grade Point 9 for 90-95 marks and often
academic institution have their CGPA conversion table
available.
 While both GPA and CGPA measure the performance of
an individual in a course, there is a certain difference
between them. The main difference between GPA and
CGPA is that CGPA measures the performance
throughout the course including all units and semesters.
But GPA measures the performance of a single unit or
semester.
 For grading cognitive learning outcomes, the examiners
are required to categorize answers and to provide grade
for its quality based on the range of the question and
weightage given in the question paper.
 Usually numerical values are used for weightage. The
weighted grade points of an answer are arrived at by
multiplying grade point by weightage.
 The sum of weighted grade points is then divided by the
sum of the weightage to arrive at the Grade Point Average
(GPA) for the paper. The grades of different papers could
be combined and the mean taken to arrive at the
cumulative Grade point average.