CBSE cancels policy that grants grace marks for difficult questions

NEW DELHI : Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has taken a prominent decision for the moderation policy under which grace marks are given to students in examinations for difficult questions, the CBSE cancelled it on Tuesday. The decision was taken at a high-level meeting. The move comes after the CBSE had requested the HRD Ministry in December previous year to assist develop a Concord among all state boards on completely removing the marks moderation policy which is considered as the reason behind inflated scores in board exam results. Under the moderation policy, examinees are awarded up to 15 per cent extra marks in certain papers if the questions are difficult. However, the practice of awarding grace marks will continue to ensure that a student clears an exam if he or she needs a few marks to do so. The CBSE has opined that a unilateral scrapping of the policy would put its students at a disadvantage during undergraduate admissions and considered it important that all state boards agree to it.