Covid-19 ‘no-detriment’ policies behind rise in firsts

Assessment policies introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic cause jump in top grades

So-called “no-detriment” policies, introduced last year to combat the impact of Covid-19 on students’ grades, are the cause of a steep rise in the number of first-class degrees being awarded, according to the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

Student data for the 2019-20 academic year show that the proportion of students achieving first-class degrees rose to 35 per cent, a jump from the 28 per cent recorded in the previous two years, and breaking a slowdown in the rise of top degrees.