Evaluation and CGPA system
Evaluation of students' progress is a continuous process. Each SCMLD programme is of 75+ credits each. Those who complete both the programmes (PGPEL & APEL) will have a total of 150+ credits. Some of the unique co-curricular activities and the social & community work are all included in the credit schemes. In addition to the credits for intellectual / outcomes, every activity and behavior is also evaluated at SCMLD. Evaluation is done as follows:
A Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) system is applied to finally grade the students.
Continuous assessment: This evaluation system is a dynamic one. It is designed to make one aware as to where one stands in terms of one's understanding of a subject / topic and how well one plans and executes projects, events and assignments in teams. One credit, two credit and three credit courses will have 15, 30 and 45 hours of classroom teaching respectively. One credit subject carries 50 marks. Two and three credit subjects carry 100 and 150 marks respectively.
60% of the marks are for FCCEP extempore team presentations, pre-end term extempore and group or individual viva-voce / GD by the faculty teaching the subject and practicing professionals not teaching the subject but within the scope of the syllabus. For pre-end term, students are supplied with question bank in advance. That is, 60% marks will be through this Fortnightly Continuous & Comprehensive Evaluation Process (FCCEPs) by way of collaborative learning & team extempore, surprise tests, class participation and pre-end term viva/GD.
The FCCEPs test collaborative team work, sharing responsibilities and the intensity of work for common and collective success.
Besides evaluating knowledge it focuses on the team & contributive attitude. The presentations are to be extempore followed by group or individual viva -voce. Any one at random will be asked to teach a topic out of the portion of the syllabus under evaluation. And that score earned by that team member will be the score of every team member. If the team wants good marks, all the team members must work individually and collectively by sincere & collaborative efforts. For every subject there will be two/three such evaluations (as per credits).
The End term exam has two parts. Part A consists of the last 40% syllabus while Part B consists of the rest 60% of the syllabus which is already tested on team basis (continuous) + surprise tests + class participation + pre-end term exam.
This is done so as to compare the Team Score with the Individual Score of a student. If the student scores more than 60% in Part B then the best of two is considered for calculating the final score of that student to be fair to him/her incase the team has not performed.
If the score is equal, that will be carried. If it is less than 60% the least of two will be the score for a student. This is to ensure that everyone in the team puts in efforts equally and learn by collective effort and no one piggybacks on others, but contribute and learn from each other. Also the strong should support the weak and the weak must learn from the strong. No one can sit back and only one or two of the team work and others take advantage. Similarly the working ones must demand work from the lazy and the weak. Goal oriented team work in collaboration, sharing and supporting each other will not happen if the score in these components are taken as it is or best of two is taken for all.
Hence SCMLD exam system is not only knowledge & information centric but attitude, team effort, mutuality, awareness and application centric. However, if the team effort of work does not happen and collaborative sharing in effort is poor, the LEAST of the two will be the final score w.r.t. the PART-B component of the End Term exam vis-a-vis team scores.
Enhanced Reading: For end term exam, besides the syllabus portion (40%) and part B (FCCEP portion + Surprise Test + Class Participation + Pre-end term), there will be enhanced reading test question. Enhanced reading will cover all the “Additional reading material” referred / supplied to the students. The enhanced reading component will have 30% weightage. This will be added to the final score and considered as score within 100%.
The formula for enhanced reading will be as follows: (example of a 2 credit subject- total marks 100).
The above means that students are evaluated for 130 marks computed for “Out of 100” marks. All these are to encourage students to READ and work consistently & continuously - individually & collaboratively. Despite this, if one does not read and avail of this variety & bonus, the only conclusion is that, that person is “unfit” to be a “professional”.
Passing Standard: Minimum marks required to pass in a subject is 50% and 60% overall in the trimester. There are bonus marks for co-curricular activities which can be used before convocation. Similarly there are marks for good conduct. All these are to encourage knowledge based action / execution leadership to emerge.
ECGPA: Co-curriculars are also graded and have credits leading to an ECGPA - Extra Curricular GPA. It measures action orientation. The following characteristics are evaluated by observing the participation level and performance of students in activities and processes; leadership & execution orientation, team orientation, co-operation & collaboration, dynamism & conviction, sense of purpose, self discipline, ownership & involvement, consistency in learning & development and seeking help & giving help. A 360 degree appraisal involving self, staff, faculty, director and student team leaders are involved in this evaluation.
Quality of work, attitude, habits, behaviour and character are constantly monitored. Grudging, whining, categorizing people, passing judgements, excusing, accusing, impulsiveness etc. are not allowed. Indiscipline invites negative marks / points. At SCMLD one's authenticity and behavioural integrity are also measured and indexed.
The Scholastics Inquisitive Index denote utilisation of library resources by the student and creating the portfolio and thesis.
Porfolio & Thesis is the physical demonstration of the intensity of interest, search for knowledge, enthusiasm in learning and depth of understanding of concepts. It is a 2 credit course.
CGPA - A: Indicates knowledge assessed by the faculty teaching the subject through fortnightly tests, assignments, presentations, surprise tests and end term exams etc.
CGPA - B: Indicates conceptual depth assessed by the faculty teaching the subject through group discussion, viva-voce and extempore team presentation.
PEI: Applied insights evaluated by practicing professionals not teaching the subject, through GD, viva-voce / team presentation etc.
Interpersonal Index: This measures the collaborative & cooperative team work in shared learning assignments, projects, group discussions, hostel behaviour etc.
Commitment & Deadline Index: This measures - the attitude of doing right first time itself excellently well, time & target orientation, pro-activeness, outcome budgeting, deliverables planning and actual delivery, punctuality and attendance.
Authenticity / Integrity Index (From unsupervised informal behaviour): Denotes punctuality, quality consciousness, purposeful time utilization, adaptability to institutional ethos, camaraderie, sharing of work w.r.t. hostel cleaning, sanitation & hygiene, behaviour in library, peer relations and honesty in examinations & assignments, sincerity, seriousness / responsibility etc.
Networking & Social Skills Index: This measures organizing capacity, meeting strangers, getting work done, ‘earning while learning’ work outcome etc., (mostly related to outside assignments) and coordinating Guest sessions as many as one can and time permits, company visits and so on.
Conversion of marks into grade points for individual subjects:
A maximum grade point (GP) of 5 is awarded to the topper, subject to his/her scoring 80% or above in the subject. Others are then awarded grade points in proportion to the topper's GP. If the topper scores less than 80%, he/she will be given a grade point proportionate to 80=5 basis and others are awarded grade points in proportion to the topper's grade points.
Those who fail (< 60% marks in the subject) are allowed no further chances. The topper in the improvement exam is awarded only a GP of 4.5 if the score is 80% and 4.0 if the score is < 80%. Proportionate to 80 = 4.5 basis others are awarded grade points in proportion to the grade points of the topper of the re-exam. Those who score less than 60% have the option of improvement exam . If not they can accept the score they earned and collect the certificates.
Calculation of CGPA: The CGPA for a student in a trimester is the weighted average of the grade points and the respective credits of all subjects in the trimester. The final CGPA of the student is the weighted average of the CGPAs of all the three trimesters and the credits of all the trimesters.
Criteria for securing the Certification: Final CGPA of 3 or above out of 5 in 75 credits. Therefore it is cautioned that one must strive hard to clear the tests and exams in the first attempt itself.
One can go to institutions and learn or get hammered in life and learn. The wise learn by being a learner utilizing the institution. Hammering can be injurious as well.
The trimester-wise and the final CGPA are graded for certification as follows :
5.000 - A++
4.500 - 4.999 A+
4.000 - 4.499 B
3.500 - 3.999 C+
3.000 - 3.499 D
<3.000 E (Fail)
Improvement exam: There is no re-exam for any subject because students have option to receive course participation / completion certificate with their earned grades - below 50% in subjects and below 60% overall or receive pass certificate with scoring minimum 50% in each subject and minimum 60% overall in a trimester. But improvement exam can be given on request by student. Naturally institute will not initiate improvement exam suo moto. That is, students who fail to score 60% in the aggregate and 50% in each subject, will have to apply seeking improvement exam by paying the exam fee @ Rs.1500 per paper, within 15 days of declaration of end term exam results. The student concerned has to also submit an essay covering the entire syllabus and an undertaking that he/she is ready for exam. The timing, question paper, place where the exam will be conducted etc. are at the discretion of the exam department although students have the option of choosing date, time, place, etc. but it cannot be misused. Therefore it is important to score minimum 60% overall and 50% in each subject and clear the exams in the first attempt itself rather than grumbling about essay writing, payment of improvement exam fee, committee / faculty approval for essays etc.
However, in beyond control situations of students Re-exam without any fee may be conducted. However the student has to come forward and apply for it. It may be noted that the improvement exam will be done for 40% of marks only. However the entire syllabus will be covered in the improvement exam and score scaled down to 40%. This will be added to the FCCEP score out of 60% already scored while the trimester was on. This is to inculcate a habit of not postponing, doing right first time itself and completing work day to day as required on a principle of “here and now”.
Marks Bank
Bonus Marks: There will be positive marks for those who have above 90% attendance (+1 for each percentage increase).
Library Marks: Those who read books beyond the library hours norms, in the library will get +1 Mark for every extra hour beyond 20 hours a month. This is not applicable for penal library hours.
Faculty Marks: Faculty can give '+2' bonus marks for the serious, studious, punctual and well behaved students, for their respective subjects. Those students who compile all extempore teaching syllabus wise materials of all team and make a comprehensive study material and put it on server and hard copies in library after its approval by faculty teaching the subject / full-time faculty and director will be awarded +3 marks. These trimester wise bonus marks can be added to any subject provided a minimum of 50% marks have been earned in that subject and provided also that not more than 3 marks be added to the score of any subject.
Super Bonus Marks (to be used at the time of Convocation only) :
a) Dynamic Meditation: Those who do this one hour process at least 4 times a month and 12 times during a trimester correctly and completely, gets 5 marks per Trimester
b) Art of Living: If 'A' Grade in behavior and Participation, 5 marks per trimester.
c) ECGPA: Student will get extra 1 mark for every 0.1 ECGPA above 3.
d) Yoga and Workout Grade: Those who get 'A' grades in yoga and workout each in the first evaluation process will get 5 extra marks per trimester. Grading to be done every trimester. Further who get A or B will be exempted from yoga or workout respectively during exam / viva days. Others will continue yoga and workout during exam / test days as well. If not they cannot take exams / tests.
Super bonus marks can be added only to the subjects in which the student has scored 50% or above. Further, these marks can be used up only at the time of convocation i.e. end of the academic year and not during Trimesters.
Nullification of answer sheets:
Any indiscipline or disobedience or malpractice in exam / test hall / room, the exam invigilator, faculty in-charge exams or his representative has to mandatorily nullify the answer sheets and such answer sheet will not be sent for evaluation.
Exam Hall Discipline: Every examinee should be seated in the hall / room ten minutes earlier to the scheduled time and maintain absolute silence. If any student enters exam hall late he / she will not be given answer sheets or question papers. He / she has to leave the hall. Talking or creating disturbance in the exam hall and not listening to the invigilators, the exam / test will be cancelled and result declared as zero for everyone and exam / test deemed to have been conducted and result declared. Consequently each student has to apply for improvement exam by following its complete procedure of paying of Rs.1500/- per paper, essay submission etc. and declaring that he / she is ready for exam and would pass. However if the students identify the “mischief makers” then such delinquents only will be penalized as above. Exam includes team learning presentations / Viva-Voce, extempore, surprise tests etc. as well.
SCMLD will conduct fortnightly extempore shared learning, team presentations, surprise tests, viva-voce, GD and end term exams for all IGNOU subjects as well. This will help students to score high in IGNOU degree / diploma exams as and when they are held by IGNOU.
Placement Screening: For those who score less than 3 CGPA and an overall grade below 'B', there will be screening for inclusion in the campus placement programme. This is to affirm that mere admission to SCMLD does not make one eligible to avail of campus placement program. One must work hard and earn that privilege. Come to learn by own initiative and will or come to get hammered to learn. Please do not waste time and resource of self and others.
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