Unequal grading standards in universities

When grading policies vary significantly from one university to another, the principle of equal opportunity is undermined. The lack of fair grading policies in universities particularly limits opportunities for students from underprivileged family backgrounds.

During a career counseling session with the students, I was questioned why some universities award degrees to graduates with a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 1.70 (D grade), while many other institutions operating under the HEC framework require a 2.00 CGPA as the minimum graduation standard for undergraduate programmes. Although students in both systems complete comparable academic programmes, the difference in grading thresholds may have unintended consequences for their future opportunities.

Many students believe that these differences place them at a disadvantage compared with counterparts from other institutions, reducing their confidence and competitiveness in academic and professional fields. A university degree is more than just a certificate; it serves as a qualification for employment, higher education and professional recognition.

As the education sector across the country strives to improve the quality and credibility of higher education, consistency in academic standards should not be viewed merely as an administrative matter but as a matter of educational justice.

In a highly competitive environment, employers, public service commissions, scholarship providers and foreign universities frequently use a minimum CGPA of 2.00 as an eligibility criterion. Graduates whose transcripts show a CGPA below this benchmark find themselves excluded from opportunities despite having successfully completed all degree requirements. The issue, therefore, extends beyond numerical grades; it concerns ensuring that graduates receive equitable recognition for their academic achievements.

Concerns also exist regarding examination practices. Students complain that some university examinations provide no choice among multiple-choice, short-answer or long-answer questions, unlike the assessment patterns followed by many other institutions. They believe that offering appropriate options in examinations would provide a more balanced assessment of learning outcomes by allowing them to demonstrate their knowledge across a wider range of topics rather than being restricted to a single set of questions.

If universities adopt substantially different graduation standards and assessment methods operating within the same national higher education framework, disparities may arise in the way qualifications are valued by employers and academic institutions. Greater standardisation, where appropriate, could strengthen public confidence in the comparability and quality of university degrees across Pakistan.

The authorities in charge of universities should take notice of discrepancies in grading and assessment practices that may compromise the fair evaluation of students. Students should not become victims of unjust marking schemes or grading practices that could adversely affect their academic records and disqualify them from employment opportunities, scholarships or further academic pursuits.

Examination paper assessment systems should be designed and implemented in a manner that ensures fairness, transparency and equal opportunity for all, ensuring that no student is placed at a disadvantage due to foul grading practices.

The intention here is not to criticise any particular university, but to humbly suggest that greater harmonisation of grading systems and assessment practices would better serve students, employers and the higher education sector as a whole.

Among the recommendations, frequently put forward by the teachers and students, are the introduction of greater flexibility through appropriate choice in examination questions and the adoption of a uniform minimum graduation CGPA across universities in line with national higher education policies. Such measures could improve transparency, comparability and confidence in Pakistani university qualifications.

A degree should give competence, achievement and readiness for professional life, regardless of which institution it is earned from.