CREDIT & GRADING system in Indian University

1. Definition of Credit:
 
(a) The theory paper would have one credit for each hour of instruction per week
in a semester. The activities include lectures, tutorials and others for internal evaluation 
(Seminar, group discussion,  laboratory/demonstration session mini project etc.)

A theory paper (which is equivalent to 100 marks of course load) should be of 6

(six) credit points which would consist of 4 hrs, of lectures and 2 hrs of tutorial & other activities. 

A theory paper of 50 marks would have 3 (three) credit points: 2 hrs of lectures
+ 1 hrs tutorial (& others)

For science subjects with practical one hour tutorial may be outside the office
hours for home work, literature survey/internet browsing etc.

(b) Practical papers / courses would have one credit point for every 2 hrs of
laboratory work per week in a semester. If the number of hrs per week is an
odd number, appropriate adjustment be made it to the nearest even number
for example.

1) 3 hrs lab per day x 2 days per week = 6 hrs = 3 credits
2) 3 hrs lab per day x 3 days per week = 9 hrs = 4 credits
3) 3 hrs lab per day x 6 days per week = 18 hrs = 9 credits.

If the total number of practical courses is 18 hrs per week, then 3 hrs per week be devoted as home work for preparing the report (i.e. lab book) and other activity related to practical.

(c) P.G. Dissertation by research work /projects would be of 12 credit points by
24 hrs of work per week in a semester. The dissertation would involve
activities such as literature survey preparation of project report, computation,
seminar, presentation, demonstrations, viva-voce examinations, and (if
required) visit to other institutions or research lab for data collection etc.
About six to nine hrs of work may be allowed to such activities outside class
hours and about 18 to 15 hrs of work for the laboratory work.

(d) Other type of work such as departmental seminar, field/industrial training
would be compulsory for the student, but no credit or marks for internal
evaluation be assigned for such activities. Moreover, class attendance should
not be considered for internal (or external) evaluation. Attendance including
of department seminars would be treated under the University rules of
minimum 75% attendance required for appearing in the examinations.

2. Total Credit per semester:

Every student must complete a minimum of 30 credits per week in a semester,
this amounts to about 30 hrs of contacts teaching per week. The total number of
credit for a four semester course should be between 120-140. For a two semester
or a eight-semester course the total credit points may be worked out accordingly.

3. Core Course and Elective courses:
(a) Core courses are compulsory set of papers which also include those
offered for specialization in each branch of the subject. For example, the
set of papers (theory & practical) offered under specialization in physical
chemistry would be considered under core course for the concerned
student of physical chemistry. The total credit assigned for the core
courses would be not more that 80% of the total credit (viz.96 credits out
of 120 total credits).

(b) Elective Courses: The essence of the credit system is the freedom of
choice given to the students for opting for courses /papers within and
outside the department. Moreover, student’s mobility from one institution
to another be encouraged by a credit transfer mechanism. However, the
total credit points thus earned by opting for elective courses should be a
minimum of 20% of total credit (viz. 24 credits out of total of 120
credits).

(i) Students’ counseling by the teachers is a must to guide the students to
opt for elective courses those are relevant to the concerned subject in
which the student is registered for a degree.

(ii) The students may be allowed to complete the elective course at their
own pace. For example, a student who wishes to opt for a course or do
his /her Dissertation /Research work in another institution, may be
allowed to do so after completing other requirements in the parent
institution.

(iii) Good students may be allowed to take extra load (over specified
minimum 24 credits) in electives. The grade sheet/ Transcripts would
the extra papers as Audit Course, but the grades obtained by the
students would not be used for the calculation of GPA and CPI.