First-class honours degrees double since 1997

THE percentage of university students getting first-class honours has almost doubled since 1997.

Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe yesterday confirmed to the Dáil that a review by his department had found significant “grade inflation” in both third and second-level.

The analysis found the percentage of university students getting first-class honours degrees rose from 8.3% in 1997 to 16.2% in 2008.