Understanding CGPA and GPA: What is the difference?

When it comes to academics, there are a lot of jargons which might appear confusing at the first glance. As tempting as it may be to overlook the differences and nuances, it is essential to know what these terms really mean. Doing so gives a better understanding of one’s grades during a given academic year, and thus, can help in strategizing better performance. Two such terminologies which seem to be confusing are CGPA and GPA. They are used not just in India, but abroad as well for calculation and assessment of a student’s academic performance. Read on to learn more about what they really mean, and how they are different.  

What is GPA? 
GPA is an abbreviation for Grade Point Average. As the name suggests, it represents the student’s average score during a given semester. Its calculation depends on the marks scored for each subject. The marks (for each subject) are multiplied and then divided with the number of credit hours. A credit is the measure of hours required to complete it. It changes from course to course. For example, a credit may equate to 8 hours of study of a particular course. A GPA is measure in grades such as A, B, C and so on. 

What is CGPA? 
CGPA, which stands for Cumulative Grade Point Average, is a system used to measure the overall performance of a student. It essentially represents the average of the cumulative marks from all semesters. When it comes to its calculation, the mean of the GPA (of each semester) is divided with the total number of credits the student has earned. It is possible to improve one’s CGPA by improving the GPA earned during each semester. A CGPA is a measure in a point system between a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being an outstanding academic performance.) 

Main differences between GPA and CGPA 

• GPA reflects the academic performance of a shorter duration of time (a single semester or a term.) On the other hand, CGPA spans a longer duration (the entire course or degree.) 
• CGPA is emphasised more in Indian universities, while GPA is looked at more closely abroad. The latter is a marker for evaluating consistency in performance for any particular course. 
• GPA uses grades as a measure. CGPA uses a point system instead. (These measures sometimes vary for different countries and/ or universities.)