UK Universities Face Grade Inflation Crisis: Degrees' Value Declining
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Firstpost•16-01-2026, 17:44
UK Universities Face Grade Inflation Crisis: Degrees' Value Declining
- •English universities are awarding significantly more first-class degrees than justified by prior academic attainment, raising concerns about grade inflation.
- •Data from the Office for Students (OfS) shows the largest unexplained increase in top grades since 2010–11, with Durham University and the University of East London showing the biggest rises.
- •Almost two-thirds more first-class degrees were awarded than could be accounted for by factors like A-level results and student backgrounds.
- •The OfS warns that universities, facing financial pressures and competition, may be lowering standards, impacting the value of degrees.
- •In 2023–24, 28.8% of graduates received first-class degrees, nearly double the 2010–11 level, despite OfS modeling suggesting only 17.7% should achieve them.
Why It Matters: Grade inflation is rampant in UK universities, devaluing degrees and raising concerns about academic standards.
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