KCSE 2020/2021 Grading System- The Kenya National Examinations Council, KNEC, grades students per performance in subjects attempted during the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams. This grading is dynamic as it is dependent on the performance of candidates in a particular year.
The Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) is offered to learners who have completed the secondary education cycle of four years.
KCSE SUBJECT CODES
Each subject offered by Knec has its own code. Check the table below before we take you through the grading process;
| S/N | Subject Name | Subject Code |
| 1 | English | 101 |
| 2 | Kiswahili | 102 |
| 3 | Mathematics | 121 |
| 4 | Mathematics, Alternative B | 122 |
| 5 | Biology | 231 |
| 6 | Physics | 232 |
| 7 | Chemistry- | 233 |
| 8 | Biology for the Blind | 236 |
| 9 | General Science | 237 |
| 10 | History | 311 |
| 11 | Geography | 312 |
| 12 | CRE | 313 |
| 13 | IRE | 314 |
| 14 | HRE | 315 |
| 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 |
| 26 | French | 501 |
| 27 | German | 502 |
| 28 | Arabic | 503 |
| 29 | Sign Language | 504 |
| 30 | Music | 511 |
| 31 | Business Studies | 565 |
These subjects are grouped into five (5) as depicted in the image below;
See also; How to download KCSE results for the whole school.
KCSE GRADING.
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 the 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 any one 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.
Again, it is advisable that you undertake 8 or 9 subjects as opposed to 7. 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.
The highest grade you can get is an A(plain) which carries a point load of 12. Conversely, the lowest grade is an E (that has one point only); See more details on the table below.
| Points | Grade |
| 12 | A (plain) |
| 11 | A- (Minus) |
| 10 | B+ (plus) |
| 9 | B (plain) |
| 8 | B- (minus) |
| 7 | C+ (plus) |
| 6 | C (plain) |
| 5 | C- (minus) |
| 4 | D+ (plus) |
| 3 | D (plain) |
| 2 | D-(minus) |
| 1 | E |
Mean Grade Award Descriptions
- Mean grade will be X, if a candidate is absent in all subjects
- Mean grade will be Y, if one or more subjects are cancelled.
- Mean grade will be U, if the entry requirements for the KCSE examination are not met
- Mean grade will be CRNM, if the course requirements for the Teacher education, Business and Technical examinations are not met
- Mean grade will be P, if results are pended
- Mean grade will be W, if the examination results are withheld;
KNEC KCSE Grading Scale – Per Subject 2021-2022
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 |
