What is it?
Users on CodeChef are divided into four Divisions based on their overall CodeChef rating, which are:
- Division 1: Users with rating >= 2000
- Division 2: Users with rating >= 1600 and < 2000
- Division 3: Users with rating >= 1400 and < 1600
- Division 4: Users with rating < 1400
CodeChef contests Starters will now have four parallel contests, one for each Division. Users can participate only in their designated Division, though some contests might be rated only for certain Divisions.
Tell me more
- Only your overall CodeChef rating is relevant for this classification.
- You can attempt problems from other Divisions, but they will be in a ‘Non Scorable’ section and won’t affect your rating.
- Your rating is calculated only within your own Division.
- This change has been in effect since START26 (mid-February 2022).
- Contest URLs will function as landing pages, with division-specific URLs like START26A for Division 1, START26B for Division 2, etc.
External Rated Contests
External rated contests can be structured in multiple ways:
- Rated for all Divisions, or only for Divisions 2, 3, and 4, or only for Divisions 3 and 4.
- Separate parallel contests for different Divisions, or a single contest for all Divisions.
- Unofficial Participation for Division 1 and 2 users in Division 3 and 4 rated contests (they can submit but won’t be ranked).
Why introduce this?
- Better problem difficulty distribution for users in different skill levels.
- More accurate rating calculations within each Division.
- More External Rated Contests for Division 3 and 4 users.
- Greater motivation for users to improve their skills.
- Lower barrier for first-time programmers from schools and colleges.