Seventy-five vice-chancellors (VC) of different public and private universities in a meeting with the UGC yesterday reached a consensus about introducing a uniform grading system in principle but many of them disagreed with the details of the UGC recommendations. The meeting was organised by the UGC at the LGED Bhaban in Dhaka.

According to the recommendations, a student would have to secure above 90 marks for grade A or grade point average (GPA) of 4.0, above 85 for grade A- or GPA 3.75, above 80 for grade B+ or GPA 3.5, above 75 for grade B or GPA 3.25, above 70 for grade B- or GPA 3.0, above 65 for grade C+ or GPA 2.5, above 60 for grade C or GPA 2.0, above 55 for grade C- or GPA 1.5 and above 50 for grade D or GPA 1.0.

"I feel the necessity for introducing a uniform grading system in public and private universities, but in case of Dhaka University, the final decision on how it will be introduced absolutely depends on its academic council," said Professor SMA Faiz, VC of Dhaka University.

He also expressed his doubts about the merit of the UGC recommended unified grade chart.

"The recommendations of the UGC regarding the grade chart may become a sensitive issue for the students," he said adding that it is really not clear how a student deserves the lowest grade D or GPA 1.0 despite securing above 50 marks.

In a number of meeting of the Dhaka University Academic Council, the matter of introducing a uniform grading system were discussed where the teachers preferred above 80 marks for grade A and wanted to qualify above 50 marks as GPA 2.0, Prof Faiz mentioned.

He also thanked the UGC for taking the initiative to introduce a uniform grading system.

UGC Chairman Prof M Asaduzzaman hoped that the uniform grading system would be introduced in 2006 with the consent of all private and public universities.

"With a view to eliminating the present imbalance created by independent grading systems in private as well as public universities, the University Grants Commission is going to introduce a common grading system for all," Asaduzzaman said.

The recommendations of the UGC is not final, many changes may come as per the views of different universities, the UGC chairman said.

"Some people always prefer to oppose anything new, but we cannot retreat from the initiative," he said.

"We can support UGC's initiative to introduce a uniform grading system, but we cannot accept it without consulting with the academic council," said Prof M Ershadul Bari, VC of Bangladesh Open University.

The University of Development Alternative (UDA) VC Emaj Uddin Ahmed said there is no alternative to introducing a uniform grading system in the present context.

Rajshahi University VC Altaf Hossain, Chittagong University VC AZM Nuruddin Chowdhury, Jahangirnagar University VC Prof Khandaker Mustahidur Rahman, National University VC Wakil Ahmed, BUET VC Dr Ali Murtaza, Independent University VC Dr Bazlur Mobin Chowdhury, BRAC University VC Professor Zamilur Reza Chowdhury, North South Univerity VC Professor Hafiz GA Siddiqi, UGC members Monirul Haque, Dr KM Mohsin, and Prof Mahfuzul Haque also spoke.