Is GPA 5.00 an effective indicator ?
Md. Abdul Momin Senior Scientific Officer Bangladesh Agril. Research Institute
This year the number of GPA 5.00 holders in SSC exams touched a record 8597. Addition of credit from the fourth subject led to this hike in gradation. This means a student who had the GPA 5.00 without addition of 4th subject got the same grading with students who obtained GPA 5.00 getting bonus from the fourth subject. In 2003 these students were classed in two different groups. Now if the admission to HSC is based on admission tests of (normally) 100 marks in an hour and a real good student having A in all the subjects of 1100 marks is surpassed by the 3 points added to the GPA 5.00 holder, where will be the merit of the student? One can secure better marks in a very short exam adopting a little unfair means. We suggest that students be classified as i) having A+ in all the subjects including 4th subject ii) A+ in all main subjects except 4th subject iii) A+ with transferred credit from 4th subject. This will help real judgement of merit and ease admission of meritorious students to their cherished colleges . Otherwise, the present system of gradation in SSC exams may face a major setback. And admission tests for HSC will encourage the so called coaching centres.
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