Evaluating Marks on Indian Educational … sheets will usually show: – Highest possible score for...

Copyright © 2009Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.

Evaluating Marks on Indian Educational Documentation

NAFSA ConferenceRegion XIIReno, NV

October 28, 2010Jason Wessel, Evaluator

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Structure of Indian Educational System• 12-year Primary/Secondary Sequence

– SSC (10 years) + HSC (2 years)• First Degrees

– BA, BS, BCom = 3 years– BPT, BOT = 3 to 4 years + internship– BAg, BEng, BTech, BPharm = 4 years– BDS = 4 years + internship– MBBS = 4.5 years + internship– BVS = 5 years

• Second Degrees– BEd = 1 year– MA, MS, MCom, MBA = 2 years– MCA = 3 years– Master’s in professional fields = usually 2 years (also 1.5 to 3 years)

• Third Degrees– MPhil = 1 to 2 years– PhD = minimum of 2 years

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Indian Tertiary Education

• British-based educational system• College vs. University• Not all work documented by a university is university-

level study.• Official documentation: university-issued marks

sheets for all attempts at all exams.• Recognition: established or recognized by state or

national act (pursuant to the UCG Act); AIU

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Converting Indian Marks into US Credits

• Determine Target number of credits:– One year = one year (30 to 36 semester hours of credit).– Minimum years of study x 30 = Target.– E.g., 4 x 30 = 120 (or as high as 4 x 36 = 144).

• Determine the total Maximum Marks for the whole program (usually 900 to 6000 is the range).

• Express the total Maximum Marks as a more manageable number (i.e., in terms of “sets” of 100):– Drop the last two digits from the total (e.g., 3800 becomes

38).– The resulting number is the Abbreviated Maximum Marks

[AMM].

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Converting Indian Marks into US Credits

• Conversion Factor: what needs to be done mathematically to the AMM in order to arrive at the Target?– AMM (38) x Conversion Factor (?) = Target (120 to 144).– 38 x 1 = 38 (too low).– 38 x 2 = 76 (still too low).– 38 x 3 = 114 (still to low).– 38 x 4 = 152 (too high).– 38 x 3.5 = 133 (within the Target range of 120 to 144).– Conversion Factor = 3.50

• Conversion Factor x AMM for each subject = US credits for each “course.”

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Convert Osmania University Marks into US Credits

• Target number of US credits?• Total Maximum Marks?

– First Year– Second Year (Sem I + II)– Third Year (Sem I + II)

• Abbreviated Maximum Marks?• Conversion Factor?

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Convert University of Bombay Marks into US Credits

• Target: 3 x 30 = 90 credits (up to 3 x 36 = 108 credits).• Total Maximum Marks = 3000.• Abbreviated Maximum Marks [AMM] = 30.• AMM (30) x Conversion Factor (?) = Target (90 to 108 credits).

– 30 x 1 = 30 credits (too low).– 30 x 2 = 60 credits (again, too low).– 30 x 3 = 90 credits (on target); Conversion Factor = 3.

• Convert AMM for each individual subject into US credits (Conversion Factor x AMM = US Credits):– 100 Maximum Marks [MM] = 1.00 Abbreviated Maximum Marks

• 3 x 1.00 = 3.00 US credits.– 75 MM = 0.75 AMM

• 3 x 0.75 = 2.25 US credits.– 25 MM = 0.25 AMM

• 3 x 0.25 = 0.75 US credits.13


General Grading Issues

• Grades have relative verbal value, not absolute mathematical value.

• No universal, absolute percentage that represents a passing performance.– 60% in another country does not necessarily mean the same thing

that it means in the US.– An above average American student would not regularly score

above 80% if subjected to Indian grading practices.– An above average Indian student would not regularly score below

60% if subjected to American grading practices.• Two things you can usually assume when looking at another

grading system:– The highest possible passing grade or range = A in the US.– All grades below the lowest possible passing grade = F in the US.

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Converting Indian Marks into US Grades

Marks sheets will usually show:– Highest possible score for each subject (Maximum Marks);– Lowest passing score for each subject (Minimum Marks);– Minimum number of marks required to pass the whole year or semester

(Aggregate Pass); and– Marks Obtained by the student for each subject.

• Most Indian schools don’t assign grades to individual subjects.• Universities classify degrees; this classification scheme can be used to

determine US equivalent grades for each subject.– First Class with Distinction– First Class– Second Class– Third or Pass Class

• Degree classifications are based on the percentage of Marks Obtained out of the Maximum Marks; therefore, use the percentage of Marks Obtained to determine US equivalent grades for each subject.

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Convert Gujarat University Marks into US Grades

• Minimum Subject Pass?• First Class?• Second Class?

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• Minimum Subject Pass = 36% (36/100).• First Class = 60% (420/700 or 600/1000).• Second Class = 48% (336/700 or 480/1000).• No Minimum Aggregate Pass is specified, so it’s the

same as the Minimum Subject Pass.

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• We can assume two things:– First Class = 60 to 100% = A.– Failing = 0 to < 36% = F.

• We have three remaining US grades (B, C, and D) but only two remaining ranges of Indian marks:– Second Class = 48% to < 60%.– Passing = 36 to < 48%.

• Does the concept of “D” exist in India?

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Concept of “D” in India

• Subject Pass < Aggregate Pass.– Aggregate Pass is often 40%, but at many universities the

Subject Pass can be below 40%.• Grace Marks.

– If a student performed well enough overall, the school may “grace” the additional marks needed to pass an individual subject.

• Condoned Failure– Used under the same conditions as Grace Marks.– Student has failed the subject but is treated as if he or she

had passed it.

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Suggested US Grades for Gujarat University Marks

• 60 to 100% = A• 50 to 59.99% = B• 40 to 49.99% = C• 36 to 39.99% = D• 0 to 35.99% = F

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Suggested US Grades for University Marks when 50% is the Minimum Pass

• When 60% = First Class– 60 to 100% = A– 59 to 59.99% = B– < 50% = F



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Evaluating Marks on Indian Educational … sheets will usually show: – Highest possible score for...

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