Opinion: Inconsistencies in the CGPA System

What is CGPA?

CGPA stands for Cumulative Grade Point Average. IITs use it to evaluate the performance of IITians in the examinations.

How is the CGPA calculated?

Students are given a grade as per their performance in the examinations. Each grade has a numerical equivalent - 'a point'.

IITKgp has the following point system

Ex	A	B	C	D	P
10	9	8	7	6	5

Each subject has a credit - the weight the subject carries. To calculate the SGPA (Semester Grade Point Average), the weighted mean of the grades is calculated.

Let us consider an example.
Suppose a student - say Jug gets the following grades.

Subject	Marks	Credit	Grade	Point
A	79	4	B	8
B	98	4	Ex	10
C	89	2	A	9
D	97	1	Ex	10

The SGPA would be calculated as

(8x4 + 10x4 + 9x2 + 10x1)/11 = 9.09

The CGPA is the weighted mean of the SGPAs. His percentage would be

(79x4 + 98x4 + 89x2 +97x1)/11 = 89.36%

The CGPA and Percentage are incompatible

Now consider the grades of Mug.

Subject	Marks	Credit	Grade	Point
A	81	4	A	9
B	91	4	Ex	10
C	91	2	Ex	10
D	91	1	Ex	10

His SGPA would be calculated as

(9x4 + 10x4 + 10x2 + 10x1)/11 = 9.63

And his percentage would be

(81x4 + 91x4 + 91x2 + 91x1)/11 = 87.36%

(Assuming 90 to be the cutoff for Ex, 80 for A and 70 for B)

I have considered 11 credits here. You can imagine the discrepancy that would arise if we were to do this for 25 credits and then average it over 8 semesters. (i.e. close to 200 credits)

Clearly the CGPA system and the percentage system are incompatible. One has to choose between the two.

Inconsistencies in the CGPA System

In the previous examples, I assumed the cutoffs as 70, 80 and 90 for B, A and Ex respectively. The cutoffs could very well be different. If the class performs poorly/question paper was tough, then the cut off may be relaxed to an extent if the Professor so wishes.

The cutoff depends on the Professor's whims and wishes.

So for the same question paper, different Professors may set different cutoffs.

Some institutes use the distribution curve to decide the cutoffs. Aid of statistical tools is taken to decide the cutoffs. Sounds really hi-tech, doesn't it?

Think again.

Suppose, Jug is in a batch that has all the 'high performing' students. His grade would be lower than Mug who has the same marks but is in a batch that has 'normal students'.

So Jugs grade not only depends on the Professor but also on his batchmates.

IITKgp has 6 different sections and 6 different Professors teaching the same course in the 1st year. You can imagine the range of SGPA that the same set of marks may create.

There are courses that have 'Centralised Grade Calculation' but there are also courses that do not have this.

Mind you, do not mistake the CGPA to be the Percentile system. Nor is it the Percentage system. It is a hotch-potch of something in between.

Some subjects have relative grading. Others have absolute. The subjects that are 'scoring' are absolutely graded - for example, Maths or Programming. Subjects like English or Manufacturing Process have relative grading.

So if Jug happens to be good at Maths, he gets an A. Mug who is weak at it gets a D. Mug though is good at English. So he manages an A in it. Jug is pathetic at English but still manages a B because not just Jug - the whole batch is bad at English. So Mug loses out even though Jug and Mug have the same aggregate in the two subjects.

The CGPA system need a serious re-look. With the present system it is only encouraging unfair practices. The system is not transparent. At times, the grades that are given defy all logic.

To keep the students in a motivated frame of mind, IITs need to evaluate the students in a fair manner. And this means a review of the CGPA system.

Either it needs to be replaced with a better system. Or it needs to be made more consistent.

What system does your institute follow? Do let me know your opinions on it.

The Day Before The Exam

[This is the text of the post that I wrote on JEE-nius the day before the JEE - comma, full-stop - no changes made. However, this could well be applicable to any other exam.]

I spent 3 years preparing for JEE and cracked it not once but twice. The second time - I secured a rank that was one-third my first attempt rank with one-third the preparation in my first attempt.

So how did I do it? What was the secret ingredient that was missing in my first attempt that got the magic going in the second?

Mindset

More than a test of analytical abilities, JEE is a test of nerves.

The D-Day could be anybody's day.
It could be your day.

You have to BELIEVE that it is going to be your day. Once you believe that it is going to be your day, there is no force in this world that can stop you from cracking the JEE and coming out with flying colours.

Being Alert

Get into an alert frame of mind. You wouldn't want to come out of the examinations regretting that you failed to read the instructions. Or that you could have solved the problem you didn't solve.

Go out for a Walk

Whenever someone asks me - What did you do on the day before the exam? I tell them this - I went for a walk with my father.

Avoid INACTIVITY and HYPERACTIVITY. They only increase anxiety. The best way to stay cool, calm and composed is to go out for a walk. It can do wonders tomorrow.

Avoid Caffeine

Caffeine increases the alertness levels. But it also increases anxiety.

Avoid coffee, cold drinks or anything that has high caffeine content.

Have normal food. Nothing extravagant. You wish to be in your mental and physical best - extravagant food will not help.

Prepare Well

I am not asking you take out your notes and start revising. That part of your preparation is over.

Do what remains. Get your pen, pencil and eraser ready. Have backups. Check your admit card. Be sure of the examination venue. Start early tomorrow.

Have a good sleep

Do not try to wake up early. No use revising now. Having a good sleep will help you maintain an alert state of mind tomorrow.

Tomorrow

Do not fret. You know it is going to be your day. The Day of (Your Name). Reach the examination venue well before time. Go and check your room no and floor.

In the examination hall, follow the instructions of the invigilators. Read the instructions CAREFULLY before starting.

And remember, if you cannot solve a question - even Chintu/Montu cannot. It is all about maximizing your marks. No one gets all the questions right.

Tomorrow is going to be your day. You are going to rock JEE.

All the best.

[P.S.: The post started appearing in sites such as GoIIT hours after it had been posted on JEE-nius. I would request people to refrain from copying the posts. They can, however if they wish, provide the link to the post to whoever is interested. The content is copyrighted]

Nostalgia: Football Focus

I was in Bangalore for 3 years - 2002 to 2005. I have always loved the city. More than the climate or the posh malls, it is the people who make Bangalore what it is.

I miss my friends at Bangalore a lot. The friendships that we forged were unadulterated. No pretensions. No Maggu, Ghissu, Stud or Pro. Just the names or the nicknames. Nothing else.

In my school at K.V. Jalahalli No-1, all of us understood each other. Or at least we thought we did. When we played football, not a single soul stayed back at the class - at least not among the boys.

We tried to utilise our 'break' to the fullest. We would have our tiffin in 5 minutes and rush to the football ground. Teams were fixed so that we did not waste our time in deciding the team.

The Rules

The rules of the game were simple.

No corner. No offside. Fouls allowed to the point of not causing an injury. The area of play was not defined. The player closest to the goal was the goalkeeper by default.

The rest was all common sense.

Structure of an Average Game

The games were played with a lot of passion. We did not play for 'time-pass'. We played to win.

An average game lasted 20-25 minutes. It comprised of vicious crosses (Arun was particularly good at them), long distance shots but no header. It is no mean task to head a Cosco ball flying past you.

We played in the hockey ground. So our goal posts were the hockey goal posts. Roles were preassigned. I, for instance, always defended the goal.

The end was usually quiet abrupt. The bell would ring followed by sharp whistles from the P.T. teacher - which meant we had to empty the ground immediately. But that is how it was - Time Management at its very best.

Variations

It wasn't always intra-section. At times, we played against the other sections. We would then club together the best players of both the teams and give our best.

On one occasion, 2 or 3 good players from our team defected to the opposition. But more than the players, it was about the chemistry within the team. If the team members gelled well, the team won. Otherwise it lost.

When we were short of Cosco balls, we switched over to mineral water bottles. Those games were very rough though. At other times, we would shift over to American Football. But that was 'once in a while'.

Playing Gear

Since we had limited time, as a rule we stuck to our school uniform. As a consequence, my leather shoes never lasted more than 4 to 5 months.

We never played with any protective gear. Apart from a few sprains, I was never injured very seriously. Nobody ever was.

I never played with my spectacles. Shinto did. Arun didn't. It was a personal choice. We had a two minute allowance to tuck our shirts in before going into the class. K.V.s are very particular about the uniform.

What I learnt during those contests was more than just the nuances of football. Time management, Teamwork and Resource Management was our daily bread and butter - though we seldom realised it back then.

Football changed us.
It made us better individuals.

And better team players.

Kgp Elections: A Relook

It is now two weeks since the demise of Rohit Kumar.

Nobody wishes to recall the events of the previous fortnight any more. The focus has shifted to more exciting events in the campus. The 'Student Body Elections' have become the talking point of all Bhaat/Adda sessions.

It has been a week of anticipation. Who is going to be the new VP (Vice President)? What are the proposals that the candidates have presented? Who has better credentials? What kind of fellow is (s)he?

Emotions have been flying high. Even the seemingly insignificant rumour has spread like wild fire in the campus. Every hall has been backing their candidates furiously - tooth and nail. In such a situation, it is the 1st year hall - MMM which has become the deciding factor. The hall that could make it or break it.

Everything has been rehearsed over and over again. Nothing has been left to chance. The SOP (Statement of Purpose) box is very harsh. The candidates have to get their facts right. There is no choice.

There is a model code of conduct to be followed during campaigning. Whoever breaks it faces action.

The polling takes place in the common room of the respective halls. Election officers are present to ensure that the election process is free, fair and smooth.

It was my first opportunity to elect representatives of my own. I decided to be a responsible voter. I set aside a few criteria which would decide a candidate's 'deservability' for a post.

Credibility

Credibility as the dictionary defines it is 'to be believable'. To be believable, one has to stick to the truth. When I mean truth - I mean the COMPLETE TRUTH. I do not wish to have a representative who is not credible. If (s)he isn't credible, (s)he would not command authority. Without authority, it would be very difficult to get even the simplest of tasks done.

Reachability

Is the candidate open to new ideas? Does his/her agenda encompass only a minority of the student population or is it for the benefit of the average Kgpian? Does (s)he fly high or is (s)he friendly to talk to? And does the candidate have a forum where (s)he can be contacted conveniently?

Ground Work

Everybody finds candidates who can speak well and present themselves very impressive. It has come to become the only criterion for many. Even IITians are swayed by superfluous oratory! Never had I imagined that IITians who are chosen on account of their ability to reason and apply themselves would vote a candidate based on their speech (which incidentally has been rehearsed umpteen number of time over the past few months). Everything else being equal, I would go by this.

I would rather look at the kind of ground work that the candidate has done. Has (s)he taken the initiative to bring about any changes. And is the candidate willing to work for the betterment of the student community?

Credentials

This factor is quiet tricky. Candidates who stand have impeccable credentials. And their record is immaculate. It becomes very difficult for the voter to decide. For instance, two Core Team member of Kshitij may be standing head to head for the post of General Secretary Technology. Who do you vote then? This is when voters start going by the performance at the SOP box. When the tangible credentials are equal, one HAS to go by the intangible ones - and this is where the randomness and the beauty of elections come in.

The results should be the last of our concerns. Luck plays a big role. Whoever is elected will HAVE TO work hard. Let us a raise to toast to the success of the mini-democracy that we have created within our campus.

[For the latest updates on the result, visit The Scholars' Avenue]