KTU grades are awarded on the overall percentage of marks you obtain in a course — Continuous Internal Evaluation and End Semester Examination added together, not the exam alone. That combined percentage is mapped to a letter grade, and each letter carries a grade point that feeds your SGPA and CGPA.
At the end of every semester you receive a letter grade for each course you registered for. Which scale applies depends on your scheme.
The grade scale: 2019 and 2024
These two schemes share an identical scale. Only the percentage conversion differs between them.
| Grade | Grade point | Marks in the course |
|---|---|---|
| S | 10 | 90% and above |
| A+ | 9.0 | 85% – below 90% |
| A | 8.5 | 80% – below 85% |
| B+ | 8.0 | 75% – below 80% |
| B | 7.5 | 70% – below 75% |
| C+ | 7.0 | 65% – below 70% |
| C | 6.5 | 60% – below 65% |
| D | 6.0 | 55% – below 60% |
| P | 5.5 | 50% – below 55% |
The grade scale: 2015 scheme
Different letters and different points. The two are easy to confuse because A+ and A happen to match.
| Grade | Grade point | Marks in the course |
|---|---|---|
| O (Outstanding) | 10 | 90% and above |
| A+ (Excellent) | 9 | 85% – below 90% |
| A (Very Good) | 8.5 | 80% – below 85% |
| B+ (Good) | 8 | 70% – below 80% |
| B (Above Average) | 7 | 60% – below 70% |
| C (Average) | 6 | 50% – below 60% |
| P (Pass) | 5 | 45% – below 50% |
LP — the Low Pass grade
Introduced by University Order No. 259/2024/KTU, LP carries a grade point of 4.0. It is granted on request to a student who scored at least 40% in the End Semester Examination but missed the overall pass threshold because of low internal marks. It applies to the 2015 and 2019 schemes (and to B.Arch and Part-Time programmes), is capped at 10 subjects for the whole course, and carries one chance to improve. It is not available on the 2024 scheme.
The zero-point grades
Four grades carry no points, and they are not interchangeable — each has a different route out.
| Grade | Means | Scheme |
|---|---|---|
| F | Overall below 50%, or below 40% in the ESE. Under 2024 also awarded for absence in a Honours or Minor ESE. | All |
| FE | Failed on eligibility — attendance short, or a pending disciplinary action. Under 2024 also awarded for failing a CIE-only course. | All |
| I | Met eligibility but could not sit the ESE. | 2019 |
| Ab | Deferred the ESE or was absent, while still meeting eligibility. | 2024 |
The distinction that matters: an F means you re-sit the examination, an FE means you register for the course again. See F grade and FE grade for each route.
How Ab works under the 2024 scheme
Ab replaced I, and it does more. You may choose to opt out of an ESE in any semester except the eighth, and are marked Ab provided you meet the attendance eligibility. The next examination opportunity then counts as your first attempt. But if you do not register for and attend the immediate supplementary examination, the Ab converts to an F. Absence in Semester 8, or in a Honours or Minor examination, is an F regardless of the reason.
What counts as a pass
The pass minimum is 40% in the ESE and 50% for CIE and ESE combined. Any grade from S down to P is a pass, and credits are earned on P or better. Under the 2024 scheme, courses assessed solely through CIE need 50% and produce an FE rather than an F if failed.
Failed and incomplete courses are included in SGPA and CGPA at zero points — they are not simply left out until cleared. Under the 2024 credit relaxation policy, courses you never earn credits for are also assigned zero and factored in.
Classification of the degree
| Class | 2019 scheme | 2024 scheme |
|---|---|---|
| First Class with Distinction | CGPA 8.0 and above | CGPA 8.0 and above |
| First Class | CGPA 6.5 and above | CGPA 6.5 and above, below 8.0 |
| Percentage conversion | 10 × CGPA − 2.5 | 10 × CGPA |
The percentage formula is the trap here. A CGPA of 8.0 is 77.5% under the 2019 scheme but 80% under 2024.
What appears on your grade card
- Only the courses you registered for — a course you failed to register for leaves no trace at all.
- The grade for each course, plus the SGPA for that semester.
- Under 2024, CGPA appears on the semester card only if you have no backlogs when results are declared.
- Under 2024, F, FE and Ab grades are removed from the card once the course is successfully completed.
- On earning the required credits, the University issues a final consolidated grade card including CGPA.
Grades cannot be improved
There is no provision for improving the grade of a course you have already passed, under any scheme. You may check your answer book after results on payment of the prescribed fee, and apply for revaluation — but a passed grade stands.
One consequence worth knowing under the 2024 scheme: the Position Certificate issued to the top 2% of each discipline excludes any student with a history of F, FE or Ab grades, and any student who took longer than the normal programme duration.
Related KTU rules
- How are KTU SGPA and CGPA calculated?
- How to convert KTU CGPA to percentage
- KTU Low Pass Grade (LP): eligibility and how to apply
- What is FE grade in KTU and how do you clear it?
- I got an F grade in KTU — do I have to repeat the course?
- What is the pass mark in KTU?
Source: KTU Academic Manual (2022) — R6.11, R6.15, R6.16, R6.18, R6.21; B.Tech (Regular) Academic Regulations 2024 — R7.16, R7.17, R7.20–R7.23, R7.27, R7.28; University Order No. 259/2024/KTU