Grading system needs adjustments
Saturday, 27 September 2008
Abul Quasem Haider
The universities, which follow the North American curriculum, were the first to introduce the grading system in Bangladesh. Now most of the universities, both in the public and private sectors, have taken to the grading system.
Recently, the University Grants Commission (UGC) gave orders to all the universities, for introducing the following grading system: A+ = 80 and more, 'A' = 75 - 79, "A - = 70 - 74, 'B -+2= 65 --694, 'B'= 60 - 64, 'B -'= 55 - 59 'C-i2= 50 - 54, 'C'= 45- 49, 'D'= 40 - 44 and F= 00 - 39.
Most of the public universities have introduced this system while a good number of private ones have not. The private universities are continuing with their own system they had adopted earlier. Most of the private universities specially those following the North American Curriculum follow the under mentioned grading system:
A = 90 and more, 'A-' = 85 - 89, 'B -+2= 80 -M, 'B'= 75 - 79, 'B -'= 70 - 74, 'C-'-?= 65 - 69, 'C'= 6064, 'D-+-?= 55 - 59, 'D'= 50 - 54 and F= 00 - 49.
Introduction of the Integrated Grading System prescribed by the UGC would create an acute problem in future for the students, intending to go to North America for higher education. The grading system prescribed by the UGC would not be acceptable to the North American universities, which treat 90 and above as A. Moreover, there is no 'A-' in their system. So, it is bound to create complications for a student from Bangladesh seeking admission into North American universities. It is, therefore, advisable to review and change the grading system devised by UGC for the universities.
In Bangladesh grading was first introduced in 2001 at the SSC level. In 2001 a total of 76 students got GPA-5, which increased to 41,917 in 2008. Owing to such a great number of students achieving GPA-5, a question arose regarding its standard.
The following table shows year-wise the number of students who got GPA-5 under seven education boards of the country:
Year Number of students
who got GPA-5
2001 76
2002 327
2003 1388
2004 8097
2005 15,631
2006 24,384
2007 25,732
2008 41,917
Between 2001 and 2003, fewer students secured GPA-5. Until 2003, a student had to obtain 80 to 100 marks in eight subjects separately to get A+. But since 2004, a student securing 'A' i.e. 70 to 79 marks only in 3 subjects got GPA-5. So, a student who secured 80 to 100 marks in each of eight subjects separately has been treated at par with the student who secured 80 to 100 marks in five to seven subjects.
Since admission will be made only on the basis of SSC results and without admission tests, it is necessary to make a distinction between the students who got 'A+' in all subjects and who did not.
They could be categorised 'A' and 'B' at the time of publication of the results. Students securing 'A-'+2 and 'A' subject wise deserve such mention of first letters of the subjects against their roll numbers as was done before introduction of the grading system. If a student secures 'A- in 6, 7 or 8 subjects and gets GPA-5 that should be shown against his roll number. Publication of the results in this manner would enable the students and the guardians to know the actual performance of the student. This will create an impetus for the students to get 'A+' in each subject separately.
How one can differentiate between two students getting 20 marks less or more, that is between both of them securing GPA-5, but one getting 100 marks and the other 80. So, the system fails to evaluate merit.
The number of students to secure GPA-5 will gradually increase until the top grades are (80-100) divided into two grades. In 2002 and 2003, the students who secured GPA-5 got rewards from government and private levels and they all were directly admitted by reputed colleges.
But from 2004 to 2007, students who secured GPA-5 had to face tests to get admission to reputed colleges. It is, therefore, evident that the standard of GPA-5 has deteriorated since 2004.
The grading system could be reformed as under:
Range of marks Grade GPA point
95-100 A+ 5.0
90 - 9~ A 4.75
85-89 A- 4.5
80-84 B+ 4.25
75-79 B 4.0
70-74 B- 3.5
65-69 C+ 3.0
60-64 C 2.5
55-59 D+ 2,0
50-54 D 1.0
00-49 F 0.0
The grading system should be uniform for Secondary School Certificate (SSC), Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and the higher levels of education. It would be better if it is done following the North American curriculum.
To reform the grading system, a national committee could be appointed comprising reputed personalities, experienced teachers, educationists, as well as the educationists conversant with the international education system, specially the North American education system should.
To maintain the standard of GPA-5 at the SSC and HSC levels, the teachers and the examiners should take greater care in evaluating the answer scripts. For this a clear guideline should be provided by the education boards.
The writer is chairman of Eastern University and vice chairman of the Association of Private Universities of Bangladesh
The universities, which follow the North American curriculum, were the first to introduce the grading system in Bangladesh. Now most of the universities, both in the public and private sectors, have taken to the grading system.
Recently, the University Grants Commission (UGC) gave orders to all the universities, for introducing the following grading system: A+ = 80 and more, 'A' = 75 - 79, "A - = 70 - 74, 'B -+2= 65 --694, 'B'= 60 - 64, 'B -'= 55 - 59 'C-i2= 50 - 54, 'C'= 45- 49, 'D'= 40 - 44 and F= 00 - 39.
Most of the public universities have introduced this system while a good number of private ones have not. The private universities are continuing with their own system they had adopted earlier. Most of the private universities specially those following the North American Curriculum follow the under mentioned grading system:
A = 90 and more, 'A-' = 85 - 89, 'B -+2= 80 -M, 'B'= 75 - 79, 'B -'= 70 - 74, 'C-'-?= 65 - 69, 'C'= 6064, 'D-+-?= 55 - 59, 'D'= 50 - 54 and F= 00 - 49.
Introduction of the Integrated Grading System prescribed by the UGC would create an acute problem in future for the students, intending to go to North America for higher education. The grading system prescribed by the UGC would not be acceptable to the North American universities, which treat 90 and above as A. Moreover, there is no 'A-' in their system. So, it is bound to create complications for a student from Bangladesh seeking admission into North American universities. It is, therefore, advisable to review and change the grading system devised by UGC for the universities.
In Bangladesh grading was first introduced in 2001 at the SSC level. In 2001 a total of 76 students got GPA-5, which increased to 41,917 in 2008. Owing to such a great number of students achieving GPA-5, a question arose regarding its standard.
The following table shows year-wise the number of students who got GPA-5 under seven education boards of the country:
Year Number of students
who got GPA-5
2001 76
2002 327
2003 1388
2004 8097
2005 15,631
2006 24,384
2007 25,732
2008 41,917
Between 2001 and 2003, fewer students secured GPA-5. Until 2003, a student had to obtain 80 to 100 marks in eight subjects separately to get A+. But since 2004, a student securing 'A' i.e. 70 to 79 marks only in 3 subjects got GPA-5. So, a student who secured 80 to 100 marks in each of eight subjects separately has been treated at par with the student who secured 80 to 100 marks in five to seven subjects.
Since admission will be made only on the basis of SSC results and without admission tests, it is necessary to make a distinction between the students who got 'A+' in all subjects and who did not.
They could be categorised 'A' and 'B' at the time of publication of the results. Students securing 'A-'+2 and 'A' subject wise deserve such mention of first letters of the subjects against their roll numbers as was done before introduction of the grading system. If a student secures 'A- in 6, 7 or 8 subjects and gets GPA-5 that should be shown against his roll number. Publication of the results in this manner would enable the students and the guardians to know the actual performance of the student. This will create an impetus for the students to get 'A+' in each subject separately.
How one can differentiate between two students getting 20 marks less or more, that is between both of them securing GPA-5, but one getting 100 marks and the other 80. So, the system fails to evaluate merit.
The number of students to secure GPA-5 will gradually increase until the top grades are (80-100) divided into two grades. In 2002 and 2003, the students who secured GPA-5 got rewards from government and private levels and they all were directly admitted by reputed colleges.
But from 2004 to 2007, students who secured GPA-5 had to face tests to get admission to reputed colleges. It is, therefore, evident that the standard of GPA-5 has deteriorated since 2004.
The grading system could be reformed as under:
Range of marks Grade GPA point
95-100 A+ 5.0
90 - 9~ A 4.75
85-89 A- 4.5
80-84 B+ 4.25
75-79 B 4.0
70-74 B- 3.5
65-69 C+ 3.0
60-64 C 2.5
55-59 D+ 2,0
50-54 D 1.0
00-49 F 0.0
The grading system should be uniform for Secondary School Certificate (SSC), Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and the higher levels of education. It would be better if it is done following the North American curriculum.
To reform the grading system, a national committee could be appointed comprising reputed personalities, experienced teachers, educationists, as well as the educationists conversant with the international education system, specially the North American education system should.
To maintain the standard of GPA-5 at the SSC and HSC levels, the teachers and the examiners should take greater care in evaluating the answer scripts. For this a clear guideline should be provided by the education boards.
The writer is chairman of Eastern University and vice chairman of the Association of Private Universities of Bangladesh