Kerala Board Revises Marking Scheme For SSLC, Plus Two Exams; Grace Marks Increased – News18

Last Updated:April 06, 2025, 12:39 IST

The Kerala Board of Public Examinations has increased the grace marks awarded for such extracurricular activities in SSLC and Plus Two exams.

Students in Kerala who excel in activities outside the classroom, such as sports, arts, NCC, or science fairs, will benefit from an improved marking scheme. The Kerala Board of Public Examinations has increased the grace marks awarded for such extracurricular activities in SSLC and Plus Two exams.

According to the recent order from the General Education Department, students participating in state-level sports or arts events can now earn up to 15 grace marks, up from the previous limit of 10 marks. For national-level events, the grace mark has been raised from 15 to 20 marks.

NCC and Scout and Guide cadets, who previously received a maximum of 5 grace marks, are now eligible for up to 10 marks. Students involved in approved science, maths, or IT fairs can also receive 10 marks, compared to the earlier 5.

However, the board has clarified that these grace marks will be used solely to help students pass, not to improve their grades. For example, a student can use these marks to move from fail to pass but not from B grade to A grade.

The overall limit for grace marks across all categories remains 30 marks.

The Kerala Pareeksha Bhavan will oversee the implementation of this new policy in all schools following the state syllabus.

Officials stated that this decision was made to “recognise the increasing competitiveness and effort invested in these extracurricular activities” and to encourage students to balance their studies with other interests.

This initiative is expected to assist many students who actively participate in non-academic activities while preparing for their board exams.