Grades not divisions in matric exam 2014

Before there was divisions in Matric results i.e. First, Second, Third division and Fail. Any of the four was written on a student’s mark-sheet and main certificate.

But now Odisha government has decided to replace divisions with grades in the matriculation examination to reduce stress levels and unhealthy competition among students.

Students will be evaluated on nine-point grades like A (91-100), B (81-90), C (71-80), D (61-70), E (51-60), F (41-50), G (31-40), H (21-30) and I (11-20).

However, marks secured by students will be mentioned in marksheets to facilitate admission in colleges.

Students, who secure more than 90% marks, will be categorized ‘outstanding’, those securing between 81-90% ‘excellent’ and those secured less than 20 % will get the tag ‘unsatisfactory’ instead of ‘fail’.

“Results will not be declared in terms of pass and fail either. Students securing grades between A and G will be treated as qualified. Grades H and I will stand for unsatisfactory,” said board secretary in-charge Shashank Shekhar Acharya.

Students will appear the exam in two phases – one hour for multiple choice questions on OMR sheets and 1.5 hours to answer subjective-type questions on question-cum-answersheets.

The state government has also revamped the evaluation system. Answersheets will now be evaluated by a group of evaluators and finally verified by a controller. The evaluators will be accountable for any mistakes in checking and penalized.

For the first time, students will get a chance to appeal for re-evaluation of answer-sheets. Officials said, a student has to apply for it within seven days of publication of results by paying a fixed amount. The evaluation of answer-sheets will be done by a group of evaluators and one scrutinizer who will check answers of separate questions.

The BSE will soon upload sample question and answer papers on its website for benefit of students. As many as five lakh students take the high school certificate examination under the state board every year.