1. Project Overview – What We Are Building

Imagine you are a teacher or lab in-charge. For each class, you want to quickly enter student marks and generate:

• An individual mark sheet (roll number, name, subject marks, total, average, grade).
• A class summary: number of students passed, failed, and class topper.

2. Requirements & Assumptions

Before we design the program, we define a few assumptions to keep things clean:

• We will handle up to 50 students in a class.
• Each student has marks in 5 subjects (e.g., Tamil, English, Maths, Science, Computer).
• Marks are out of 100 for each subject.
• Passing criteria:
  • Each subject mark must be >= 35.
  • OR you can modify this threshold easily later.
• Grade rules (you can customize):
  • A+ for average ≥ 90
  • A for average ≥ 80
  • B for average ≥ 70
  • C for average ≥ 60
  • D for average ≥ 50
  • F for average < 50 or any subject failed

3. Designing Data Structures – struct Student

To represent a student, we need multiple pieces of information grouped together. In C, the best tool for this is a struct.

3.1 Student structure fields

• rollNo – integer.
• name – string (array of chars).
• marks[5] – array of integers, one per subject.
• total – integer or float (sum of marks).
• average – float.
• grade – character (A+, A, B, etc.; we can use a string or just a char).
• result – string like “PASS” or “FAIL”.

#define MAX_SUBJECTS 5

typedef struct {
    int   rollNo;
    char  name[50];
    int   marks[MAX_SUBJECTS];
    int   total;
    float average;
    char  grade[3];   // e.g., "A+", "B", "F"
    char  result[10]; // "PASS" or "FAIL"
} Student;

For the entire class, we will have an array of Student:

#define MAX_STUDENTS 50

Student students[MAX_STUDENTS];
int studentCount;

4. Designing the Program Flow

It’s always better to think about the overall flow before writing code. Here is a simple step-by-step plan:

1. Display a welcome heading for the result generator.
2. Ask how many students (studentCount).
3. For each student:
   • Read roll number and name.
   • Read marks for each subject.
   • Compute total, average.
   • Determine grade and pass/fail result.
4. After data entry:
   • Print a formatted mark list for the whole class (table view).
   • Print a detailed mark sheet for each student (optional).
   • Find and display class topper (highest total or average).
   • Show number of students passed and failed.
5. Ask user if they want to save results to file.
6. Exit the program.

5. Result & Grade Logic

We separate the calculation logic into a function that:

• Computes total and average.
• Checks if any subject is below the pass mark (e.g., 35).
• Assigns a grade based on average (if passed in all subjects).
• Sets the result string to “PASS” or “FAIL”.

#define PASS_MARK 35

void calculateResult(Student *s) {
    int i;
    int failed = 0;

    s->total = 0;
    for (i = 0; i < MAX_SUBJECTS; i++) {
        s->total += s->marks[i];
        if (s->marks[i] < PASS_MARK) {
            failed = 1;
        }
    }

    s->average = s->total / (float)MAX_SUBJECTS;

    if (failed) {
        strcpy(s->grade, "F");
        strcpy(s->result, "FAIL");
        return;
    }

    if (s->average >= 90) {
        strcpy(s->grade, "A+");
    } else if (s->average >= 80) {
        strcpy(s->grade, "A");
    } else if (s->average >= 70) {
        strcpy(s->grade, "B");
    } else if (s->average >= 60) {
        strcpy(s->grade, "C");
    } else if (s->average >= 50) {
        strcpy(s->grade, "D");
    } else {
        strcpy(s->grade, "F");
        failed = 1;
    }

    if (failed) {
        strcpy(s->result, "FAIL");
    } else {
        strcpy(s->result, "PASS");
    }
}

6. Full Code – Student Mark List & Result Generator (Console)

Below is a complete C program that:

• Reads multiple students’ marks.
• Calculates total, average, grade and result.
• Prints a class-wise mark list table and topper information.
• Optionally saves data to a text file.

#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>

#define MAX_STUDENTS 50
#define MAX_SUBJECTS 5
#define PASS_MARK 35

typedef struct {
    int   rollNo;
    char  name[50];
    int   marks[MAX_SUBJECTS];
    int   total;
    float average;
    char  grade[3];   // "A+", "B", "C", "F"
    char  result[10]; // "PASS" or "FAIL"
} Student;

void inputStudentData(Student *s, int index) {
    int i;

    printf("\\n---- Enter details for student %d ----\\n", index + 1);
    printf("Roll number: ");
    scanf("%d", &s->rollNo);

    printf("Name: ");
    scanf(" %49[^\n]", s->name);

    printf("Enter marks for %d subjects (out of 100):\\n", MAX_SUBJECTS);
    for (i = 0; i < MAX_SUBJECTS; i++) {
        printf("Subject %d: ", i + 1);
        scanf("%d", &s->marks[i]);

        if (s->marks[i] < 0) {
            s->marks[i] = 0;
        } else if (s->marks[i] > 100) {
            s->marks[i] = 100;
        }
    }
}

void calculateResult(Student *s) {
    int i;
    int failed = 0;

    s->total = 0;
    for (i = 0; i < MAX_SUBJECTS; i++) {
        s->total += s->marks[i];
        if (s->marks[i] < PASS_MARK) {
            failed = 1;
        }
    }

    s->average = s->total / (float)MAX_SUBJECTS;

    if (failed) {
        strcpy(s->grade, "F");
        strcpy(s->result, "FAIL");
        return;
    }

    if (s->average >= 90) {
        strcpy(s->grade, "A+");
    } else if (s->average >= 80) {
        strcpy(s->grade, "A");
    } else if (s->average >= 70) {
        strcpy(s->grade, "B");
    } else if (s->average >= 60) {
        strcpy(s->grade, "C");
    } else if (s->average >= 50) {
        strcpy(s->grade, "D");
    } else {
        strcpy(s->grade, "F");
        failed = 1;
    }

    if (failed) {
        strcpy(s->result, "FAIL");
    } else {
        strcpy(s->result, "PASS");
    }
}

void printClassTable(Student s[], int n) {
    int i, j;

    printf("\\n===============================================================\\n");
    printf("                STUDENT MARK LIST - CLASS SUMMARY               \\n");
    printf("===============================================================\\n");
    printf("%-6s %-20s ", "Roll", "Name");
    for (i = 0; i < MAX_SUBJECTS; i++) {
        printf("S%-2d ", i + 1);
    }
    printf(" Total  Avg   Gr  Result\\n");
    printf("---------------------------------------------------------------\\n");

    for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
        printf("%-6d %-20s ", s[i].rollNo, s[i].name);
        for (j = 0; j < MAX_SUBJECTS; j++) {
            printf("%-4d ", s[i].marks[j]);
        }
        printf("%-6d %-5.1f %-3s %-6s\\n",
               s[i].total, s[i].average, s[i].grade, s[i].result);
    }

    printf("===============================================================\\n");
}

void printStudentDetail(const Student *s) {
    int i;

    printf("\\n---------------- STUDENT RESULT ----------------\\n");
    printf("Roll No : %d\\n", s->rollNo);
    printf("Name    : %s\\n", s->name);
    printf("------------------------------------------------\\n");
    for (i = 0; i < MAX_SUBJECTS; i++) {
        printf("Subject %d: %d\\n", i + 1, s->marks[i]);
    }
    printf("------------------------------------------------\\n");
    printf("Total   : %d\\n", s->total);
    printf("Average : %.2f\\n", s->average);
    printf("Grade   : %s\\n", s->grade);
    printf("Result  : %s\\n", s->result);
    printf("------------------------------------------------\\n");
}

int findTopperIndex(Student s[], int n) {
    int i, topperIndex = 0;
    for (i = 1; i < n; i++) {
        if (s[i].total > s[topperIndex].total) {
            topperIndex = i;
        }
    }
    return topperIndex;
}

void saveResultsToFile(Student s[], int n, const char *filename) {
    int i, j;
    FILE *fp = fopen(filename, "w");

    if (fp == NULL) {
        printf("Error: Could not open %s for writing.\\n", filename);
        return;
    }

    fprintf(fp, "STUDENT MARK LIST & RESULT SHEET\\n\\n");
    fprintf(fp, "%-6s %-20s ", "Roll", "Name");
    for (i = 0; i < MAX_SUBJECTS; i++) {
        fprintf(fp, "S%-2d ", i + 1);
    }
    fprintf(fp, " Total  Avg   Gr  Result\\n");
    fprintf(fp, "---------------------------------------------------------------\\n");

    for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
        fprintf(fp, "%-6d %-20s ", s[i].rollNo, s[i].name);
        for (j = 0; j < MAX_SUBJECTS; j++) {
            fprintf(fp, "%-4d ", s[i].marks[j]);
        }
        fprintf(fp, "%-6d %-5.1f %-3s %-6s\\n",
                s[i].total, s[i].average, s[i].grade, s[i].result);
    }

    fclose(fp);
    printf("Results successfully saved to %s\\n", filename);
}

int main() {
    Student students[MAX_STUDENTS];
    int n, i;
    int passCount = 0, failCount = 0;
    int topperIndex;
    char choice;

    printf("===============================================\\n");
    printf(" STUDENT MARK LIST & RESULT GENERATOR (C)\\n");
    printf("===============================================\\n\\n");

    printf("Enter number of students (max %d): ", MAX_STUDENTS);
    scanf("%d", &n);

    if (n <= 0 || n > MAX_STUDENTS) {
        printf("Invalid number of students. Exiting.\\n");
        return 1;
    }

    // Input and calculate for each student
    for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
        inputStudentData(&students[i], i);
        calculateResult(&students[i]);
    }

    // Count pass/fail
    for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
        if (strcmp(students[i].result, "PASS") == 0) {
            passCount++;
        } else {
            failCount++;
        }
    }

    // Find topper
    topperIndex = findTopperIndex(students, n);

    // Print class table
    printClassTable(students, n);

    // Print class summary
    printf("\\nCLASS SUMMARY:\\n");
    printf("Total students : %d\\n", n);
    printf("Passed         : %d\\n", passCount);
    printf("Failed         : %d\\n", failCount);
    printf("Topper         : %s (Roll %d, Total %d, Avg %.2f, Grade %s)\\n",
           students[topperIndex].name,
           students[topperIndex].rollNo,
           students[topperIndex].total,
           students[topperIndex].average,
           students[topperIndex].grade);

    // Optionally print detail for one student
    printf("\\nDo you want to see detail of a student? (y/n): ");
    scanf(" %c", &choice);
    if (choice == 'y' || choice == 'Y') {
        int roll;
        printf("Enter roll number to view detail: ");
        scanf("%d", &roll);

        int found = 0;
        for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
            if (students[i].rollNo == roll) {
                printStudentDetail(&students[i]);
                found = 1;
                break;
            }
        }
        if (!found) {
            printf("No student found with roll number %d.\\n", roll);
        }
    }

    // Optionally save results to file
    printf("\\nDo you want to save the results to a file? (y/n): ");
    scanf(" %c", &choice);
    if (choice == 'y' || choice == 'Y') {
        saveResultsToFile(students, n, "results.txt");
    }

    printf("\\nProgram ended. Goodbye!\\n");
    return 0;
}

7. Testing the Mini Project – Sample Scenario

Let’s walk through a sample test to ensure the logic works:

Example Input (3 students, 5 subjects)

• Student 1:
  • Roll: 101
  • Name: Arun
  • Marks: 80, 75, 90, 85, 88
• Student 2:
  • Roll: 102
  • Name: Bala
  • Marks: 60, 55, 45, 50, 58
• Student 3:
  • Roll: 103
  • Name: Charu
  • Marks: 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 (note: first subject is below pass mark)

The program should:

• Compute totals and averages correctly.
• Assign grade and result:
  • Arun – high average, likely A or A+ and PASS.
  • Bala – average around 53.6 (PASS, grade D).
  • Charu – FAIL because of subject 1 < 35 (grade F).
• Show class summary – 2 passed, 1 failed, topper = Arun.

8. Extension Ideas – Make the Project More Powerful

Once the basic project works, you can level it up with new features:

8.1 Custom subject names

Instead of just “Subject 1, 2, 3…”, allow the user to enter subject names at the beginning:

char subjectNames[MAX_SUBJECTS][30];
int i;

printf("Enter names of %d subjects:\\n", MAX_SUBJECTS);
for (i = 0; i < MAX_SUBJECTS; i++) {
    printf("Subject %d name: ", i + 1);
    scanf(" %29[^\n]", subjectNames[i]);
}

Then use subjectNames[i] when printing.

8.2 Class-wise statistics

• Average marks per subject across all students.
• Highest and lowest mark per subject.
• Overall class average.

8.3 Ranking

Sort students by total or average and assign ranks. You can use a simple bubble sort for small numbers of students.

8.4 Multiple classes or sections

Extend the program to handle multiple classes (e.g., Class 10A, 10B, 10C) using an outer loop or another structure.

8.5 Export to CSV

Instead of a free-form text file, write results in CSV format so that they can be opened directly in Excel or Google Sheets:

fprintf(fp, "Roll,Name,S1,S2,S3,S4,S5,Total,Average,Grade,Result\n");

9. Learning Checklist – Student Mark List Mini Project

• I can design a struct Student with roll number, name, marks and result fields.
• I can store multiple students in an array and iterate through them with loops.
• I understand how to compute total and average from subject marks.
• I can implement pass/fail and grade logic using if–else conditions.
• I can format console output into a neat table (class-wise mark list).
• I can write helper functions to keep main() clean and modular.
• I can use file handling to save results to a text/CSV file.
• I can extend the mini project with features like topper, ranking and subject statistics.