KTWV 9 Issue 16: Is this for real?

I was just reading about the cut-off percentages required for admission to the various colleges in Delhi University. In the Times of India Stephen's cut-offs up by 1-2%.

My initial thoughts were values around 75 - 85%, but I was astounded to read that cut off percentages were around 98%.

Delhi may have managed to score a high of only 97% in English in the Class XII CBSE exams, but at St Stephen's, applicants from the commerce stream need 98% to qualify for the English (Hons) course. The college, which came out with the cut-off list late on Tuesday, has hiked the marks almost uniformly across all the courses by 1-2%.

Either the kids of today are super geniuses for 98% to be used as a cut off percentage, the marking system is so poor or the examination content is so low that it is possible to set such a high cut off percentages.

In our days we were happy if we got 80% as 75% was considered as the distinction level. Only the super brilliant got over that mark - and they were super brilliant - I was never in that class.

Parents were happy if we came home with a good report card which had a couple of subjects in the high 50s or low 60s, but your best subjects had marks in the high 70s or low 80s.

The only subjects where we could score 100% were the Mathematics - Maths and Additional Maths!

In addition, our teachers were so strict that they graded us even on the quality of our handwriting, page presentation, neatness, and other factors which showed we were educated.

Some comments on this cut off percentage, just to educate me, would be greatly appreciated! According to today's norms - I AM A JACKASS!