Grading Systems in Indian Universities
India has a diverse higher education system, and institutions are allowed to have their own grading systems according to their convenience. Some of the grading criteria are borrowed from international institutions, while some institutions follow their own practices. Common grading systems that are followed in India are:
- Percentage System
- Grade Point Average (GPA) System
- Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) System
- Relative Grading System
Each system has its own method of evaluating and representing a student’s academic performance. Let’s understand these systems and their methods to calculate the performance of their graduates.
1. Percentage System
The percentage system is a traditional method of grading all over the world. In this system, the performance of a student is assessed in terms of marks obtained out of 100. Obtained marks are divided by the total marks and then multiplied by 100 to get the percentage. The prominent universities that use percentage system in their undergraduate programs are University of Delhi and University of Calcutta.
| Marks (%) | Grade | Grade Point |
| 75-100 | O (Outstanding) | 10.0 |
| 65-74 | A (Excellent) | 8.0 |
| 55-64 | B (Very Good) | 7.0 |
| 50-54 | C (Good) | 6.0 |
| 45-49 | D (Average) | 5.0 |
| 40-44 | E (Pass) | 4.0 |
| Below 40 | F (Fail) | 0.0 |
The percentage system tells how much command a student has on their subject at the end of the term. Sometimes, the percentage is allotted a specific grade. Most of the institutions use the following system of converting grades into Percentage.
2. Grade Point Average (GPA) System
The GPA system is another popular grading method. The grades are usually allotted numeric values. Higher grades are given more points. The grade points are also assigned with respect to the credit hours.
In the GPA method, we take the average of all the grade points a student secures. In universities that follow a semester-based academic calendar, the GPA system is the easiest method of student evaluation.
Following is an example of how grades are assigned grade points on different scales.
| Grade | Grade Point (4.0 Scale) | Grade Point (10.0 Scale) |
| A+ | 4.0 | 10.0 |
| A | 3.7 | 9.0 |
| B+ | 3.3 | 8.0 |
| B | 3.0 | 7.0 |
| C+ | 2.7 | 6.0 |
| C | 2.3 | 5.0 |
| D | 2.0 | 4.0 |
| F | 0.0 | 0.0 |
3. Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) System
The CGPA system is the most common grading system used by universities and is recommended by the University Grants Commission (UGC) of India. CGPA is an average of the grade points obtained in all subjects over more than one semester.
Each course in this system is assigned credit hours, and the CGPA is the weighted average of all courses taken. CGPA can be calculated on different scales. Most of the universities use 4.0 scale, but some universities prefer 10.0, 5.0 and 7.0 scales as well.
4. Relative Grading System
Some universities, especially those that offer technical education, evaluate their students in the Relative Grading System. In this system, the student obtaining highest marks sets the threshold and the rest of the class is measured against it.
Imagine a class of 50 students who took the same exam. The highest score is 95 obtained by a student. The scores are distributed as follows:
- Highest score: 95/100
- Lowest score: 50/100
- Mean score: 75/100
- Standard deviation: 10
Now, the instructor might decide to set the grades on the following scale
- A Grade: 85-95
- B Grade: 65-84
- C Grade: 55-64
- D Grade: 50-54
- F Grade: below 50
Indian Institutions Using the Relative Grading System
The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), particularly IIT Kanpur, are known for using a relative grading system, especially in undergraduate and postgraduate engineering programs.
Grading Systems in Indian Higher Education Program
Here is a list of 10 famous institutions and their grading systems.
| Institution | Grading System | Description |
| Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi | Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) | The CGPA system is based on a 10-point scale where grades are assigned points and averaged. |
| Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad | Grade Point Average (GPA) | The GPA system typically uses a 5-point scale where grades are assigned points and averaged. |
| University of Delhi (DU) | Percentage System | Marks are awarded as percentages, and divisions (e.g., first, second) are determined based on these percentages. |
| Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) | Letter Grade System (A, B, C, etc.) | JNU uses a letter grade system with grades assigned based on performance, each having a corresponding value on a 10-point scale. |
| Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore | Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) | Uses a 10-point CGPA system similar to IITs, where grades reflect performance in each course. |
| University of Mumbai | Grade Point Average (GPA) | Typically uses a 7-point scale, where grades are averaged to calculate the GPA. |
| Indian School of Business (ISB) | Letter Grade System (A, B, C, etc.) | Grades are given as letters with associated grade points on a 4.33 scale, reflecting academic performance. |
| Anna University, Chennai | Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) | Uses an 8-point CGPA system to evaluate student performance across semesters. |
| Banaras Hindu University (BHU) | Percentage System | Awards marks as percentages, with the final grade reflecting cumulative performance. |
| Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay | Cumulative Performance Index (CPI) | Similar to CGPA but may have slight variations in calculation methods specific to the institution. |
What is Grade Point?
As clear by the name, Grade points are the specific points assigned to each grade. The are the basic metrics used to calculate CGPA, SGPA, OGPA and GPA. The grade points vary depending on the grading scale used by the institution. Even the number of grades may vary from one institution to the other. Here are common grading scales:
Grade Points on Different Grading Scales
| Grade | Grade Point (4.0 Scale) | Grade Point (5.0 Scale) | Grade Point (7.0 Scale) | Grade Point (10.0 Scale) |
| A+ | 4.0 | 5.0 | 7.0 | 10.0 |
| A | 4.0 | 4.7 | 6.5 | 9.5 |
| A- | 3.7 | 4.3 | 6.0 | 9.0 |
| B+ | 3.3 | 4.0 | 5.5 | 8.5 |
| B | 3.0 | 3.7 | 5.0 | 8.0 |
| B- | 2.7 | 3.3 | 4.5 | 7.5 |
| C+ | 2.3 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 7.0 |
| C | 2.0 | 2.7 | 3.5 | 6.5 |
| C- | 1.7 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 6.0 |
| D+ | 1.3 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 5.5 |
| D | 1.0 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 5.0 |
| F | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
CGPA calculation on different Grading Scales
The formula for calculating CGPA is different for different grading scales. Here are some examples to calculate CGPA for each scale.
1. CGPA Calculation on a 4.0 Grading Scale
Example:
| Course | Grade | Grade Points (on 4.0 scale) | Credit Hours | Weighted Grade Points (Grade Points × Credit Hours) |
| Mathematics | A | 4.0 | 3 | 12.0 |
| Chemistry | B+ | 3.3 | 4 | 13.2 |
| Physics | C | 2.0 | 3 | 6.0 |
| English | B | 3.0 | 2 | 6.0 |
Total Weighted Grade Points:
12.0 + 13.2 + 6.0 + 6.0 = 37.2
Total Credit Hours:
3 + 4 + 3 + 2 = 12
CGPA:
37.2 / 12 = 3.10
2. CGPA Calculation on a 5.0 Grading Scale
Example:
| Course | Grade | Grade Points (on 5.0 scale) | Credit Hours | Weighted Grade Points (Grade Points × Credit Hours) |
| Biology | A | 5.0 | 4 | 20.0 |
| History | B+ | 4.5 | 3 | 13.5 |
| Literature | C | 3.0 | 2 | 6.0 |
| Geography | B | 4.0 | 3 | 12.0 |
Total Weighted Grade Points:
20.0 + 13.5 + 6.0 + 12.0 = 51.5
Total Credit Hours:
4 + 3 + 2 + 3 = 12
CGPA:
51.5 / 12 = 4.29
3. CGPA Calculation on a 7.0 Grading Scale
Example:
| Course | Grade | Grade Points (on 7.0 scale) | Credit Hours | Weighted Grade Points (Grade Points × Credit Hours) |
| Computer Science | A+ | 7.0 | 3 | 21.0 |
| Chemistry | B | 5.0 | 4 | 20.0 |
| Physics | C | 4.0 | 3 | 12.0 |
| Mathematics | A | 6.0 | 2 | 12.0 |
Total Weighted Grade Points:
21.0 + 20.0 + 12.0 + 12.0 = 65.0
Total Credit Hours:
3 + 4 + 3 + 2 = 12
CGPA:
65.0 / 12 = 5.42
4. CGPA Calculation on a 10.0 Grading Scale
Example:
| Course | Grade | Grade Points (on 10.0 scale) | Credit Hours | Weighted Grade Points (Grade Points × Credit Hours) |
| Electronics | A | 9.0 | 3 | 27.0 |
| Mechanical Engg. | B+ | 8.5 | 4 | 34.0 |
| Civil Engg. | B | 8.0 | 3 | 24.0 |
| Computer Science | A+ | 10.0 | 2 | 20.0 |
Total Weighted Grade Points:
27.0 + 34.0 + 24.0 + 20.0 = 105.0
Total Credit Hours:
3 + 4 + 3 + 2 = 12
CGPA:
105 / 12 = 8.75
Summary
The process of calculating CGPA is not the same across different grading scales. Different institutions have their own set of grades and the corresponding grade points. The grading scale and the set of grades used by the institution determines the range of CGPA values. Higher maximum grade points result in a broader range of possible CGPA values. However, you can use our CGPA Calculator to Percentage for conversion between these grading systems.