VIJAYAWADA: The officials of the Board of Intermediate Education (BIE) are in a dilemma: whether to continue with the existing grading system or go back to the marking system. Though the Board introduced a grading system in 2017 to reduce stress among the students and student suicides, many students are facing problems in getting admissions in the colleges in other States after completing the course. The officials have already discussed the issue with the expert committee, which was constituted by the YSRC government to study the existing education system and suggest reforms.
In 2017, the then TDP government introduced the grading system, scrapping the marking system, in view of an increasing number of student suicides reportedly due to stress-related to marks. From then onwards, all the Intermediate students in the State are getting grades, a first of its kind initiative. Though it didn’t affect the first year Intermediate students, it hit many second-year students, who want to join colleges in other States, hard. The reason: the managements in other States are not ready to accept grades and they want the mark list.
The second-year Intermediate students received their grades for the first time in 2019. This year, as many as 500 students from Andhra Pradesh lost their chances to join the Delhi University due to the grading system. A large number of students fought against the university and the BIE finally agreed to issue mark lists to students on demand. Sources said over 500 students are visiting the BIE office every day seeking mark lists. After discussions, the BIE is now looking for a better alternative for the benefit students. The issue was also discussed by the expert committee constituted by the State government.
According to sources, the officials are planning to scrap the existing grade system as it is creating an additional burden on the officials in calculating score and sending to EAMCET officials and the students who want their mark list. The officials are considering another option -- award grades first and upload the students’ marks after a week. In the process, the students will get mark lists also and they can submit the same for admission in the colleges outside the State. A final decision will be taken based on the recommendations of the expert committee.