Midnapore, July 14: Come 2007 and students appearing in the Higher Secondary examination will be handed certificates with grades instead of marks.

But the marks obtained in individual subjects would be mentioned in the marksheets, said state higher secondary council president Jyotirmoy Mukherjee. He was here on a day’s visit to inaugurate a school building.

Mukherjee said the grade system is being introduced in accordance with the recommendation of the All India Council of Boards of Secondary Education. “The move will help us attain all-India uniformity,” he added. States like Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra have introduced the system.

He felt it will help minimise cut-throat competition among students and curb private tuition. “We are fed up with this uneven competition among students due to the prevailing marking system. The grade system is more scientific and will not dishearten students,” he added.

He said a nine-point scale is likely be followed to award grades. Those securing 90 per cent and above marks would be graded “excellent”, those between 80 and 89 per cent “very good”, between 70 and 79 “good” and those between 60 and 69 “satisfactory”.

Seminars would be held to seek the opinion of academicians and the public on the system. “We are planning to hold a seminar on the grade system in Calcutta in September,” he added.

He said this year’s HS results would be announced by the month-end to help successful candidates take the medical examinations.