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. ith 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. !t has been reali"ed that annual system places a premium on
information and encourages learning by mechanical memory. #ther aspects like
comprehension, ability for analysis and synthesis, and application remain largely untested. As
per the international standard, a Bachelor$s degree should be awarded to students who can
demonstrate the following abilities.
% A systematic understanding of key aspect of their field of study, including acquisition of
coherent and detailed knowledge.
% An ability to deploy accurately established techniques of analysis.
% &onceptual understanding that enables the student to devise and sustain arguments, to
solve problems and describe and comment upon particular aspects of current research in
his'her discipline.
% An appreciation of the uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of knowledge.
% An ability to manage one$s own learning.
!t is believed that only (emester (ystem, with &ontinuous 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 :
!n the annual system evaluation of students in undergraduate level is done in terms
of marks, with )** being the maximum, ie. on the basis of a )**-point grading system. The
minimum pass mark is ++ percent. (tudents getting ,* percent are declared to have been
successful in (econd &lass' -ivision. (tudents securing .* percent or above are awarded a
/irst &lass' -ivision. Again students securing /irst &lass in 0a1or, if secure 2* percent in
general sub1ects are declared to have passed with -istinction.
!n view of the facts that the evaluation process is largely sub1ective, and that
thousands of students appear in the examinations, its effectiveness has been questioned. The
&hoice-Based &redit (ystem with letter grades and grade points can only handle this
situation. !nstead of )** point grading system, the &B&( uses 2 to )* point grading system.
Conversion of marks to grades :
Actual marks secured by a group of candidates are converted into 3elative
4ercentile before conversion into letter grades.
3 5 6 )** ' 0 7 8 A where 3 5 3elative 4ercentile
0 5 9ighest marks in a sub1ect ' paper
A 5 Actual mark of a student
Examples 0 5 :* 3 5 ).;2 8 A ,A 5 :* 3 5 )**, A 5 .* 3 5 <2 ,A 5 2* 3 5 .+,
A 5 ,* 3 5 2*
0 5 .* 3 5 )..< 8 A , A 5 .* 3 5 )**, A 5 2* 3 5 :, , A 5 ,* 3 5 .=,
A 5 +* 3 5 2*
0arks awarded by the examiners out of )** are ultimately grouped in relative percentile
attaching letter grades and grade points.
Range of relative
Perentile
!etter grades "rade point
=* ---- )**
<2 ---- :=
22 ---- <,
,* ---- 2,
+* ---- +=
below +*
A
B
&
-
>
/
)*
:
.
,
;
*

?ow the hours of &redit for each &ourse shall come into consideration. ?ormally a &redit
corresponds to one hour of lecture or one period. A student can reasonably be expected to
earn around +* &redits in a (emester and a Bachelor degree can be awarded on accumulation
of around ):* &redits. !n our system total &redit of ;*: for students having ma1or and ).,
for students having general have been proposed.
"rade Point #verage$Cumulative "rade Point #verage%
Papers offered Paper
Credit
"rade
obtained
"rade Point
obtained
&onour
point
).)
).;
).+
).,
).2
)..
.
.
.
;
.
.
B
B
B
&
A
B
:
:
:
.
)*
:
,:
,:
,:
);
.*
,:
'otal +; ;.,
"rade Point
#verage :.;2
Cumulative "rade Point #verage @
&A4A 5 6 A4A (em ! B A4A (em !! B A4A (em !!! B A4A (em !C B A4A (em C
B A4A (em C! 7 ' .
/or &lass ! 0inimum &A4A shall be : and for &lass !! minimum &A4A shall be 2
Srutiny : i 7 4aper &redit @ Awarded or earned D
ii7 3elative 4ercentile @ ?ecessary D
iii7 Teachers shall examine answer scripts in marks or grades D