Grade Inflation

Grading & Metrics

The trend of awarding higher grades over time without a corresponding rise in achievement.

Grade Inflation is the trend of awarding higher grades over time without a corresponding rise in achievement.

Related Terms
Grade
A symbolic indicator of achievement, such as A, B, C or pass/fail, derived from marks.
Grading Scale
The defined system that maps marks to grades, such as a 10-point or a 4.0 scale.
Norm-Referenced Assessment
Grading that ranks a student relative to other students rather than against a fixed standard.
CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average)
A weighted average of grade points earned across an entire program, summarising overall academic performance.
GPA (Grade Point Average)
A numerical summary of academic performance calculated as a weighted average of grade points across courses, usually for a single term.