Is TNEA fair for CBSE students?

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Detailed Solution

Yes, TNEA is designed to be fair for CBSE students, though perceptions differ. Since CBSE and Tamil Nadu State Board have different exam patterns and evaluation methods, Anna University applies a normalization process to ensure equal footing.

How it works: Each CBSE student’s marks are scaled relative to the highest marks scored in the CBSE board and then compared with the highest scores in the State Board. This removes discrepancies caused by tougher grading standards.
Why some CBSE students feel disadvantaged: State Board toppers often score closer to 200/200, while CBSE grading is stricter. After normalization, a CBSE student with 90% may still fall slightly behind a State Board student with a near-perfect score.

Normalization Example

Subject	CBSE Highest	State Board Highest	CBSE Student Score	Normalized Score
Physics	95	100	90	(90 ÷ 95) × 100 = 94.7

Action Tip: CBSE students should not be discouraged. With scores above 190, normalization still keeps them highly competitive. Always calculate your normalized cutoff before predicting college options.

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