The Department of Education is to investigate claims that students taking science subjects are marked more severely than others in the Leaving Certificate.
A Department spokesman said it would investigate claims in relation to physics and chemistry in particular. The Department is taking the step after a recent report by the Taskforce on Physical Sciences suggested that students perceived science subjects as being far more difficult than other subjects.
This body, chaired by the former president of DCU, Dr Danny O'Hare, conducted its own investigations and found wide disparities in the number of honours grades awarded in science subjects compared to other subjects.
The conclusion of its report states: "There is a widely held perception that it is more difficult to get higher grades in the physical sciences than in other Leaving Cert subjects. Preliminary research findings confirm that this perception is based on fact."
The Department's investigation is unlikely to have any impact on the marking of this year's science exams. Physics and chemistry take place on Monday and Tuesday next week.
The investigation will focus on whether there are disparities and if there is any justification for them. The investigation will also look at the possible reasons for the severity in marking, including whether the syllabus is too challenging, although any changes to the syllabus would be the responsibility of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.
What concerns Department officials and the Taskforce is that science grades appear to have been trailing the average Leaving Cert grade pattern for many years.
The Taskforce commented on this when it said: "There has been little improvement in performance in the physical sciences relative to other subjects in the last six years in spite of improved mean grades in absolute terms."
The numbers doing physics and chemistry have been dwindling in recent years. This year just over 9,000 students are taking physics, with about 6,600 taking chemistry. Large multinational companies such as Intel have warned continuing problems with science could hamper the economy.
The decline of science at second and third level is one of the main issues facing the new Minister for Education, Mr Dempsey, who begins his first full week at the Department today.