Are CIMA ‘P’ papers getting harder?

CIMA has released the latest OT and case study pass rates, and generally speaking pass rates are down.

The OT pass rates, particularly in the ‘P’ papers have slumped, when compared to rates for the whole of last year. The pass rate for P3, for instance, is now 44%.

The current P2 pass rate is now 48% and for P2 its 50%. Students seem to be struggling more with F3 too. IT has a pass rate of 48%. The rate for the whole of 2020 was 57%.

The May Operational case study overall pass rate also slipped to 46%. It was 60% in February 2021, so that is a big drop.

Stephen Flatman, Vice President, Examinations – Management Accounting, said: “Our students’ overall exam performance continues to be strong – it’s a testament to their dedication, hard work and enthusiasm for learning and progressing their careers. However, we are still navigating challenging times and understand that the pandemic has taken its toll on our students, meaning that some of our pass rates are a bit lower than they have previously been.

“Students shouldn’t get disheartened if they fail an exam. If they do, they should take some time out to reflect on what went wrong and identify the steps they need to take to ensure that they pass the next time around. It’s also a good idea to seek advice from family, friends, or a tutor.”

OT PASS RATES (1 June 2020 – 31 May 2021): E1 81%; E2 87%; E3 68%; F1 79%; F2 56%; F3 48%; P1 48%; P2 50%; P3 44%

CIMA CASE STUDY PASS RATES

                                      May 21     Feb 21      Nov 20     Aug 20

Operational                    46%            60%         53%        47%

Management                 69%             71%        74%         59%

Strategic                        68%            67%         69%         56%