Semester System at the undergraduate level Why Semester ?

The traditional annual examination involving both internal and external examiners had its roots in British practices. As per expert opinion, this system is valid when the number of students are small and skills to be evaluated are restricted- largely those required for administrative work. With the fast expansion of higher education, it is now necessary to evaluate a large numbers of students, coming from different backgrounds and institutions, for a wide range of capabilities. It has been realized that annual system places a premium on information and encourages learning by mechanical memory. Other aspects like comprehension, ability for analysis and synthesis, and application remain largely untested. As per the international standard, a Bachelor’s degree should be awarded to students who can demonstrate the following abilities.

● A systematic understanding of key aspect of their field of study, including acquisition of coherent and detailed knowledge.

● An ability to deploy accurately established techniques of analysis.

● Conceptual understanding that enables the student to devise and sustain arguments, to solve problems and describe and comment upon particular aspects of current research in his/her discipline.

● An appreciation of the uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of knowledge.

● An ability to manage one’s own learning.

It is believed that only Semester System, with Continuous internal assessment and end-of-term examination as essential components, can measure all these abilities for the award of the degree.

Credit-based grading System :

In the annual system evaluation of students in undergraduate level is done in terms of marks, with 100 being the maximum, ie. on the basis of a 100-point grading system. The minimum pass mark is 33 percent. Students getting 40 percent are declared to have been successful in Second Class/ Division. Students securing 60 percent or above are awarded a First Class/ Division. Again students securing First Class in Major, if secure 50 percent in general subjects are declared to have passed with Distinction.

In view of the facts that the evaluation process is largely subjective, and that thousands of students appear in the examinations, its effectiveness has been questioned. The Choice-Based Credit System with letter grades and grade points can only handle this situation. Instead of 100 point grading system, the CBCS uses 5 to 10 point grading system.

Conversion of marks to grades :

Actual marks secured by a group of candidates are converted into Relative Percentile before conversion into letter grades.

R = ( 100 / M ) X A where R = Relative Percentile M = Highest marks in a subject / paper A = Actual mark of a student

Examples M = 80 R = 1.25 X A ,A = 80 R = 100, A = 60 R = 75 ,A = 50 R = 63, A = 40 R = 50

M = 60 R = 1.67 X A , A = 60 R = 100, A = 50 R = 84 , A = 40 R = 69, A = 30 R = 50

Marks awarded by the examiners out of 100 are ultimately grouped in relative percentile attaching letter grades and grade points.

Range of relative Percentile

Letter grades Grade point

90 ---- 100 75 ---- 89 55 ---- 74 40 ---- 54 30 ---- 39 below 30

ABCDEF

1086420

Now the hours of Credit for each Course shall come into consideration. Normally a Credit corresponds to one hour of lecture or one period. A student can reasonably be expected to earn around 30 Credits in a Semester and a Bachelor degree can be awarded on accumulation of around 180 Credits. In our system total Credit of 208 for students having major and 164 for students having general have been proposed.

Grade Point Average/Cumulative Grade Point Average.

Papers offered PaperCredit

Gradeobtained

Grade Pointobtained

Honourpoint

1.11.21.31.41.51.6

666266

BBBCAB

8886

108

484848126048

Total 32 264

Grade PointAverage 8.25

Cumulative Grade Point Average :

CGPA = ( GPA Sem I + GPA Sem II + GPA Sem III + GPA Sem IV + GPA Sem V

+ GPA Sem VI ) / 6

For Class I Minimum CGPA shall be 8 and for Class II minimum CGPA shall be 5

Scrutiny : i ) Paper Credit : Awarded or earned ? ii) Relative Percentile : Necessary ? iii) Teachers shall examine answer scripts in marks or grades ?