HYDERABAD: The Telangana government’s latest move on SSC results has stirred unease among educators and officials, with new memos missing critical academic indicators—total marks and cumulative grade point average (CGPA). The absence of these key details has triggered concern over the implications for both higher education and job prospects.
Issued this week, the SSC memos show only subject-wise marks and grades, leaving out both the overall score and CGPA—an omission experts warn could create confusion and bureaucratic challenges for students down the line.
Policy flip-flops add to the confusion
The controversy stems from a series of shifting decisions over the course of the academic year. At first, the state government scrapped internal assessments and announced that only raw scores would be issued. This policy was changed midway, only after internal exams had already been conducted in several schools. The revised directive reinstated internal assessments for the 2024–25 academic year but again said no grades would be awarded—only marks.
No clarity was offered on the final format of the memos until just 48 hours before results were released. Initially suggesting that grades would not be printed, authorities later confirmed their inclusion—while excluding overall marks and CGPA.
Director of Government Examinations, Krishna Rao, explained that the format reflects official instructions and that total marks can be calculated manually if needed. However, he acknowledged that CGPA was deliberately left out.
Educators demand immediate revision
The decision hasn’t gone down well with school leaders and teachers’ unions, who argue that issuing SSC memos without total marks or CGPA is both impractical and unfair.
Chakravarthula Srinivas, President of the State Language Teachers’ Association, criticised the lack of standardisation. “If intermediate and degree certificates carry first and second division distinctions, why not SSC memos?” he asked. He warned that students may face issues during college admissions and job applications.
Rajabhanu Chandraprakash, a senior headmaster, called on the government to reconsider the decision before the long-format and final memos are printed. “At least one of the two—total marks or CGPA—must be included,” he urged.
Future repercussions could be severe
Critics say the move could jeopardise students’ prospects, especially where SSC merit forms the basis of recruitment or admission. Several departments and institutions rely on 10th-grade performance for selection:
Postal jobs such as Dak Sevak and Assistant Branch Postmaster are filled using SSC marks.
RGUKT Basar, which admits students based on CGPA, has traditionally granted a 0.4 CGPA bonus to government school students. That calculation becomes impossible without a CGPA.
Anganwadi teacher roles are also awarded based on SSC scores.
TSRTC has historically recruited conductors through SSC-based merit.
Some Army categories and entry-level court roles prioritise 10th-grade marks even when written tests are held.
Without standardised totals or a CGPA, determining eligibility for such positions may become arbitrary and contentious, stakeholders warn.