Kerala Plus Two SAY 2026 Grace Marks: How Extra Marks Are Awarded

Kerala Plus Two SAY 2026 grace marks can add up to 20 extra marks to your subject score — enough to push you from a failing grade to a D+ pass — and they are applied automatically to your result if you hold a valid achievement certificate.

The Directorate of Higher Secondary Education (DHSE), Kerala awards grace marks to SAY (Save A Year) students who have represented their institution at recognised competitions in sports, arts, NCC, NSS, or science fairs. The SAY 2026 exam runs from June 29 to July 3, 2026, and results will be published on the official DHSE portal at results.hse.kerala.gov.in.

• Every subject in Kerala Plus Two carries 100 marks total (theory + practical or internal assessment).
• The minimum passing score is 30 marks (D+ grade) per subject and 30% in aggregate.
• Grace marks can be up to 20 marks for National-level and 15 marks for State-level achievements.
• Grace marks cannot raise any subject score beyond 90 out of 100.
• Only your single highest achievement is counted — multiple certificates do not stack.

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Grace Mark Categories and Maximum Marks

DHSE Kerala recognises achievements across six broad categories for the grace mark benefit. Only your single highest qualifying achievement is used — the category with the most grace marks takes precedence when you qualify in more than one.

Your achievement certificate must have been earned during the Plus Two course. Grace marks are granted only once during the course — if the benefit was used in the regular March 2026 examination, it cannot be claimed again in SAY 2026.

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How Grace Marks Are Calculated and Distributed

Grace marks are not added in a lump sum to your aggregate. DHSE distributes them across subjects following a fixed priority order to give you the maximum benefit where you need it most.

Your final subject score is calculated as:

The distribution follows this priority order:

1. Priority 1 — Reach passing grade: Grace marks are first applied to bring any failing subject (below 30) up to the minimum D+ grade (30 marks).
2. Priority 2 — Improve lowest grade: Remaining grace marks are then used to lift your lowest-scoring passing subject to the next grade band.

Key rules governing distribution:

• A maximum of 10 grace marks can be added to a single subject at one time — the remainder carries over to the next qualifying subject.
• Grace marks are applied to the TE component only — CE and PE scores are never changed.
• The final score in any subject after grace marks cannot exceed 90 out of 100.
• Subjects where you already scored the maximum are excluded from the distribution.

Example: You scored 27 in Chemistry (CE: 8, PE: 0, TE: 19) and hold a State-level sports certificate (15 grace marks). You need 3 more marks to reach D+. DHSE adds 3 grace marks to your TE score: Final Chemistry = 8 + 0 + 22 = 30 — you pass with grace. The remaining 12 grace marks are then applied to your next lowest subject.

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Kerala Plus Two Grading System 2026

Knowing the grade bands helps you see exactly how many marks a grace mark allocation needs to bridge. Kerala Plus Two uses a 9-point grading scale:

To pass SAY 2026, you must secure at least a D+ in every subject. Students in the D grade range (below 30 marks) who hold a valid certificate can potentially be lifted to D+ once grace marks are applied — provided the shortfall falls within the available entitlement.

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What Pass With Grace Means on Your Marksheet

When DHSE applies grace marks to help you reach the passing threshold, your SAY 2026 marksheet will carry a Pass with Grace notation against the relevant subject or subjects. This is an official result status issued by the Government of Kerala.

• Pass with Grace is fully valid for college admissions, government job applications, and further academic purposes.
• Grace marks are applied automatically if your achievement certificate is on record — you do not need to submit a separate request.
• The benefit is granted only once during the Plus Two course and cannot be carried forward to a subsequent improvement attempt.
• Students who do not hold a valid certificate are not eligible regardless of how close they are to the passing mark.

Once SAY 2026 results are declared, you can check your score including any grace mark additions on the official DHSE Kerala results portal at results.hse.kerala.gov.in.