Students winning international sports competitions will receive 30 grace marks in SSLC, higher secondary, and vocational higher secondary examinations. The marks for participation in international competitions have been reduced from 30 to 28.
Students taking part in national-level sports competitions will get 22 marks, as per an order issued by the General Education department on Wednesday increasing the categories that are eligible for grace marks from the 2022-23 academic year.
The department had issued an order last month restricting grace marks in the examinations to 30. That order awarded 25 marks to medal winners in national sports competitions, but no marks for participation. It also awarded marks for participation in international events, but did not specify marks for winners of these events. These have been amended in the new order. The grace marks for sports had drawn flak from many quarters, including students and parents.
The order also notes that some categories that were eligible for grace marks had been left out earlier. These include Science and Mathematics talent search and Bhaskaracharya seminar in which those getting A, B, and C grades will receive 20, 15, and 10 marks, respectively. In events where the first three positions are decided, the students will get 20, 17, and 14 marks, respectively.
Students who are awarded A, B, and C grades in the State Children’s Congress will get 20, 15, and 10 marks, respectively. The earlier order awarded only the first three prize winners 15 marks.
Similarly, students taking part in the National Children’s Science Congress will get 25 marks hereon. As per the earlier order, only the top three students at the national level were awarded 25 marks.
The SSLC results are to be declared by May 20, and there are concerns that the time taken to upload and process the new grace marks will delay the results.
However, Pareeksha Bhavan authorities said schools had been informed and were ready for uploading most of the grace marks in a day or two. By May 12, the deputy director of education-level verification would be completed, and by May 13, that at the level of the Directorate of General Education. The marks would be available at the Parkeesha Bhavan by May 14, so that the results could be declared by May 20.
