It has been another bumper harvest for UK A level results with the pass rate up again.

The pass rate for GCSEs however is down. Although results do show a rise in the numbers receiving top grades.

But despite the different success rates between A level and GCSE, some people still accuse the government of slipping standards and easier exams.

So are exams getting easier? Or are standards of teaching improving and students working harder? Is the trend towards higher grades the same where you live?

Some business leaders certainly think exam standards are on the decline. They say results may be up but the calibre of young job candidates is definitely down.

Some universities agree. Entry requirements have not slipped, they say, but some new undergraduates lack the basic skills to add up, spell or write.

And many who were students ten or fifteen years ago say, in their day, high grades were the exception not the norm.

But the government is quick to defend its position. It says that rising standards represent real and remarkable achievement - by students, teachers and parents alike.

Teachers say exams are as tough as ever - the pass rate for GCSE are proof. Good reults show that students are now under greater pressure to achieve.

Others point out that comparable improvements in attainment abroad are not assumed to be a sign of reduced standards.

What do you think?

Are exams getting easier?

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