18 August 2023

Dear Admissions Officer,

Following the release of Cambridge International AS and A Level results, we are aware that some students
in Pakistan are unhappy with their results, saying that their grades are lower than expected and do not
correspond to previous results at Cambridge IGCSE or O Level. This communication explains how the
awarding standard has changed during the pandemic, and the impact that this may have on results.
We have previously communicated this to you in a statement about adjustments to our awarding standards
for the June 2023 examination series. This letter explains the process we are following.

Deliberate adjustments to the June 2023 grades

During the past few years, the pandemic has disrupted exams and led to changes to the standards of our
qualifications. In June 2021 and June 2022, our standards were more generous than in pre-pandemic
years. This means that it was easier to achieve a grade A in June 2021 and June 2022 than in June 2019.
As the impact of the pandemic has lessened, we have been gradually returning the standard of our
qualifications back to the pre-pandemic standard.

From June 2023, the standard of our exams worldwide has returned to the standard of June 2019, the last
pre-pandemic year. A typical candidate who achieved a grade B in 2019 would have got a grade B in 2023.

The graphic on our Standards and grading in 2023 page shows this clearly.

As a result of this deliberate return to the pre-pandemic standard, there has been a fall in outcomes globally
for Cambridge International AS and A Level qualification compared to June 2021 and June 2022.

Please take this into consideration and be more lenient when making your admission decisions as other
boards may not have adjusted their awarding standards to pre-pandemic levels.

Yours faithfully,

Kevin Ebenezer
Head of Global Recognition
Cambridge Assessment International Education