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KCSE Grading System Per Subject 2023

Beracah Akpan

August 31, 2022

The KCSE subject is graded on the basis of a twelve-point scale, with 12 points being the highest score and 1 being the lowest. These grades are accompanied by an expanded grading system from A, A-, and B+ to E as seen in the table below.

Grade	A	A-	B+	B	B-	C+	C	C-	D+	D	D-	E
Points	12	11	10	9	8	7	6	5	4	3	2	1

Subject Choices for KCSE Candidates

Each subject offered by KCSE has its own code, these subjects are grouped into five (5) as depicted in the image below;

S/N	Subject Name	Subject Code
	Group I – Compulsory
1	English	101
2	Kiswahili	102
3	Mathematics – A	121
4	Mathematics, Alternative B	122
	Group II
5	Biology	231
6	Physics	232
7	Chemistry-	233
8	Biology for the Blind	236
9	General Science	237 (with 122)
	Group III
10	History/Government	311
11	Geography	312
12	CRE – A	313
13	IRE Alternative B	314
14	HRE	315
	Group IV
15	Home Science	441
16	Art and Design	442
17	Agriculture	443
18	Wood Work	444
19	Metal Work	445
20	Building Construction	446
21	Power Mechanics	447
22	Electricity	448
23	Drawing and Design	449
24	Aviation Technology	450
25	Computer Studies	451
	Group V
26	French	501
27	German	502
28	Arabic	503
29	Sign Language	504
30	Music	511
31	Business Studies	565

KCSE Grading 2023/2023

For you to be graded, you must take a minimum of seven (7) subjects. Out of these, English, Kiswahili, and Mathematics are compulsory. You must further take a minimum of two sciences and one Humanity. The seventh subject can as well be chosen from the remaining categories i.e Applied, Humanities, Sciences, etc.

In a nutshell, a Candidate must enter for at least 7 subjects which must include:

From Group I – All three subjects of Code Numbers 101, 102, and either121 (option “A” )or 122 (option “B”)
From Group II – At least two subjects of Code Numbers 231, 232, 233,236( Blind candidates) or 237 for option “B”
From Group III – At least one subject code of 311,312 or anyone among 313/314/315
Note: Only one of the Religious subjects 313, 314, 315 and one Mathematics option is to be taken. One other subject selected from the remaining subjects in Group II, III and IV (Code Numbers 441,442,443,444,445,446,447,448,449,450 and 451) or V(Code Numbers 501,502,503,504,511 and 565)
Candidates can sit for 9 subjects and the extra 1 or 2 subjects can be selected from the remaining subjects of groups II, III, IV, and V.

It’s advisable that you undertake more than 8 subjects as opposed to 7 as this gives you more grading options. The grade you get is dependent on scores in your subjects. To get your mean score, the Council totals the points that you get per subject.

Mean Grade Award Descriptions

The mean grade will be X if a candidate is absent in all subjects
The mean grade will be Y if one or more subjects are cancelled.
The mean grade will be U if the entry requirements for the KCSE examination are not met
The mean grade will be CRNM, if the course requirements for the Teacher Education, Business, and Technical examinations are not met
The mean grade will be P if results are pended
The mean grade will be W if the examination results are withheld;

University matriculation is based on the best performance in particular subjects relevant to degree courses. Example below:

KNEC KCSE Subject Group Grade Points

English	1	B+	10
Kiswahili	1	A-	11
Mathematics	1	A	12
History & Government	3	B	9
Geography	3	A-	11
Physics	2	B+	10
Chemistry	2	B-	8
Biology	2	A-	11

KNEC KCSE Grading Scale Per Subject

It is important to note that each subject has its own grading system as shown below;

KCSE Grading Scale for English

Points	101; ENGLISH
12	80 – 100	A
11	75 – 79	A-
10	70 – 74	B+
9	65- 69	B
8	60 – 64	B-
7	55 – 59	C+
6	50 – 54	C
5	45 – 49	C-
4	40 – 44	D+
3	35 -39	D
2	30 -34	D-
1	0 -29	E

KCSE Grading Scale for Kiswahili

POINTS	102; KISWAHILI
12	78 – 100	A
11	73 – 77	A-
10	68 – 72	B+
9	63 – 67	B
8	58 – 62	B-
7	53 – 57	C+
6	48 – 52	C
5	43 – 47	C-
4	38 – 42	D+
3	33 – 37	D
2	28 – 32	D-
1	0 – 27	E

KCSE Grading Scale for Mathematics

POINTS	121; MATHEMATICS
12	70 – 100	A
11	65 – 69	A-
10	60 – 64	B+
9	55 – 59	B
8	49 – 54	B-
7	43 – 48	C+
6	37 – 42	C
5	31 – 36	C-
4	25 – 30	D+
3	19 – 24	D
2	12 – 18	D-
1	0 -11	E

KCSE Grading Scale for Biology

POINTS	231; BIOLOGY
12	80 – 100	A
11	75 -79	A-
10	70 – 74	B+
9	65- 69	B
8	60 – 64	B-
7	55 – 59	C+
6	50 – 54	C
5	45 – 49	C-
4	40 – 44	D+
3	35-39	D
2	30-34	D-
1	0 -29	E

KCSE Grading Scale for Physics

POINTS	232; PHYSICS
12	60 – 100	A
11	55 – 59	A-
10	50 – 54	B+
9	45 – 49	B
8	40 – 44	B-
7	35 – 39	C+
6	30 – 34	C
5	25 – 29	C-
4	20 – 24	D+
3	15 – 19	D
2	10 – 14	D-
1	0 – 9	E

KCSE Grading Scale for Chemistry

POINTS	233; CHEMISTRY
12	65 – 100	A
11	60 – 64	A-
10	55 – 59	B+
9	50 – 54	B
8	45 – 49	B-
7	40 – 44	C+
6	35 – 39	C
5	30 – 34	C-
4	25 – 29	D+
3	20 – 24	D
2	15 – 19	D-
1	0 – 14	E

KCSE Grading Scale for History & Government

POINTS	311- HISTORY
12	80 – 100	A
11	75 – 79	A-
10	70 – 74	B+
9	65 – 69	B
8	60 – 64	B-
7	55 – 59	C+
6	50 – 54	C
5	45 – 49	C-
4	40 – 44	D+
3	35 – 39	D
2	30 – 34	D-
1	0 -29	E

KCSE Grading Scale for Geography

POINTS	312- GEOGRAPHY
12	66 – 100	A
11	61 – 65	A-
10	56 – 60	B+
9	51 – 55	B
8	46 – 50	B-
7	41 – 45	C+
6	36 – 40	C
5	31 – 35	C-
4	26 – 30	D+
3	21 – 25	D
2	16 – 20	D-
1	0 – 15	E

KCSE Grading Scale for Christian Religious Education (CRE)

POINTS	313- CRE
12	90 – 100	A
11	85 – 89	A-
10	80 – 84	B+
9	75 – 79	B
8	70 – 74	B-
7	65 – 69	C+
6	60 – 64	C
5	55 – 59	C-
4	50 – 54	D+
3	45 – 49	D
2	40 – 44	D-
1	0 – 39	E

KCSE Grading Scale for Agriculture

POINTS	443- AGRICULTURE
12	88 – 100	A
11	83 – 87	A-
10	78 – 82	B+
9	73 – 77	B
8	68 – 72	B-
7	63 – 67	C+
6	58 – 62	C
5	53 – 57	C-
4	48 – 52	D+
3	43 – 47	D
2	38 – 42	D-
1	0 – 37	E

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