What does “stepwise marking” mean?

"Stepwise marking" is a crucial evaluation method used in exams, especially for subjects like Mathematics and Science, where a problem-solving approach is required.¹Instead of just awarding marks for the final, correct answer, this system gives partial marks for each correct step a student takes towards the solution.²

How Stepwise Marking Works

Imagine a 5-mark question in a mathematics paper that requires multiple calculations to arrive at the final answer. The examiner's marking scheme might break down the 5 marks as follows:

• 1 mark: For writing the correct formula or principle.
• 1 mark: For substituting the given values correctly into the formula.
• 2 marks: For carrying out the intermediate calculations correctly.
• 1 mark: For the final, correct answer with the right units.

In this system, even if a student makes a small calculation error in the middle and gets the final answer wrong, they can still earn 4 out of the 5 marks for demonstrating their knowledge of the formula and the correct method.

Key Benefits of Stepwise Marking

1. Rewards Conceptual Understanding: It moves the focus away from just getting the right answer and instead rewards students for understanding the process and the underlying concepts.³ This aligns with the new competency-based education approach of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
2. Reduces Exam Stress: Students know that they won't get a zero for a question just because of a minor error.⁴ This reduces the pressure and anxiety associated with exams and encourages them to attempt all questions.
3. Promotes Fairness: It ensures a more equitable and objective evaluation.⁵ A student who knows the correct method but makes a silly mistake is not penalized as heavily as a student who has no idea how to solve the problem.
4. Provides Clear Feedback: The detailed mark allocation helps students and teachers identify exactly where the student went wrong—whether it was a conceptual mistake, an error in calculation, or a problem with the final presentation.