Institute of technology insists upgrading of marks was correct

CORK Institute of Technology has insisted that the upgrading of around 100 students originally deemed to have failed part of their final exams proves the independence of its appeals system.

But the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) claims the change to pass marks for more than half of a class of nearly 200 students – one with a grade of just 11% – in the economics module earlier this year highlights the need to have the exam marking and appeals systems scrutinised.

The results were originally submitted in January after exams at the end of the first semester for final-year students on a business studies degree course. But it is understood that the fail marks awarded to at least 100 of them, some well below the required 40% pass mark, prompted CIT officials to seek to have all marks considered by an examination appeals board.