Kerala Education Department Limits Grace Marks To 30 for SSLC, HSS, And VHSE Exams

For students who took the SSLC, Higher Secondary, and VHSE exams during the 2022-23 academic year, grace points for various co-curricular activities will be limited to 30 points. On Thursday, the general education department issued an order reducing grace marks in response to reports that top-performing students were being overtaken by kids with high grace scores. 

A student who has participated in more than one co-curricular event may only claim grace points for the event in which he or she achieved the highest grade, according to the guideline. The judgement further states that a student who has obtained a grace mark will not be eligible for additional marks as a result of it at subsequent stages of admission. 

The maximum grace marks that can be provided for a subject for Higher Secondary students will be limited to boosting the subject's score to 90%. This requirement was included in the Higher Secondary exam manual, which was published earlier this year.

Students who receive A, B, or C grades will receive 20, 15, or 10 points for events such as the State School Arts Festival; Science, Mathematics, Social Science, Work Experience, and IT competitions; State-level science seminars; C V Raman essay contest; Sreenivasa Ramanujan memorial paper presentation, and so on. Instead of grades, in events where the first three spots are determined, 20, 17, and 14 marks will be awarded.      

Students who participate in the Student Police Cadet programme and the Junior Red Cross will receive 20 and 10 points, respectively. In Scouts and Guides, Rashtrapati award winners will receive 25 points, Rajya Puraskar/ Chief Minister's Shield winners will receive 20 points, and those with more than 80% attendance would receive 18 points.

NSS volunteers who participated in national camp and Republic Day camp would receive 25 points. Volunteers possessing an NSS certificate will receive 20 points. NCC cadets will receive 25 points if they achieve the rank of Corporal or higher, obtain an A, B, or C certificate, or participate in national camps. NCC cadets with 75% attendance will receive 20 points.

Students who place first in the National Children's Science Congress, the Southern India Science Fair, and the State Children's Science Congress will receive 25, 22, and 15 points, respectively. Other events receiving points include: Little KITEs IT clubs (15), Jawaharlal Nehru National Exhibition (25), and A and B grades at Sargotsavam (15 and 10 points, respectively). Balashree award winners will receive 15 points, while those who place first and second in KELSA quizzes will receive five and three points, respectively. 

For sports, participation in international events will fetch a student grace marks of 30. Medal winners at national sports meet will be awarded 25 marks. First, second and third prize winners in sporting events at the state level will be awarded 20, 17 and 14 marks, respectively.  Seven marks will be awarded to students bagging up to fourth place in athletics or aquatics or games events conducted by the general education department or associations recognised by the State Sports Council or sports department. Students applying for grace marks using certificates in Class 8, should produce participation certificates for at least district-level events in Classes 9 and 10, the order says.