Students scoring over 95% up 58 times in last decade

To tackle ‘grade inflation’, common entrance test planned for central varsities

The government, which plans to conduct a common entrance examination for all 45 central universities, may finally have its way. Last month, through a letter, the University Grants Commission (UGC) informed the vice-chancellors of these universities, including top institutes like Delhi University, Banaras Hindu University and Jawaharlal Nehru University, of the decision to conduct a common university entrance test, or CUCET, for both undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

While many of these universities already conduct an entrance exam, some like Delhi University follow a merit-based process dependent on senior secondary scores.

The over-reliance on Class XII scores has contributed to grade inflation and unreasonably high cut-offs in colleges over the years. A Business Standard analysis shows that while there has been a consistent 8 per cent increase in students appearing for the Class XII exam every year, the number of students scoring over 95 per cent has jumped 58 times for the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) examinations held between 2010 and 2021. In 2010, only 1,202 students appearing for CBSE Class XII had secured over 95 per cent. This year, the number was 70,004. While students scoring over 95 per cent had increased 118.7* per cent in 2020, the increase in 2021 was 80 per cent.

The number of students scoring over 90 per cent, meanwhile, has jumped nine times. The growth rate of students scoring above 90 per cent has also been increasing exponentially over the last five years.

This has also resulted in colleges posting near-perfect cut-offs for their courses. In 2010, the average cut-off for Bcom (Hons) and BA (Hons) Economics at Shri Ram College of Commerce — a top-ranked Delhi University college — was 91.75 per cent and 91 per cent, respectively. This year, the college put out a near-perfect cut-off of 99.5 per cent and 99 per cent, respectively, for the courses.

Besides dealing with grade inflation, the new exam is also expected to replace the multiplicity of exams and create a Sat-styled common entrance test for all universities. State universities and private and deemed universities also have a choice to be part of CUCET.

The government had, in its New Education Policy 2020, envisaged a common entrance test. However, this is not the first time that a standard entrance test has been introduced. The CUCET has been around for over a decade now. While 15 universities were conducting exams via CUCET in 2019, this fell to 14 in 2020. By 2021, only 12 universities were conducting exams via CUCET.

To make CUCET a success, the government will have to ensure the big names participate in the process.

The new exam is also expected to replace the multiplicity of exams and create a Sat-styled common entrance test