The overall pass rate fell a little for the second year in a row

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) said a total of 22,182 appeals were being considered. Last year the equivalent figure was 29,649.

This year, controversially, schools had to give reasons if appealing over more than 10% of the entries in a subject.

But the SQA said there was no cap. It said students' results were more in line with their teachers' expectations.

Expectations

Appeals were down in the two most popular Higher subjects: English (656 fewer) and maths, down just over 1,000.

The only Higher appeal increases of any significance were in administration ( up 179) and computing (119 more).

The SQA said a major reason behind the reduction in appeals was that more candidates had achieved the grades their centres - schools and colleges - had expected them to achieve.

This year, for the first time, centres had the opportunity to change their estimates up to the start of the exams.

Another more controversial change this year was that centres appealing for more than 10% of a group of candidates in a particular subject had to submit written reasons for the appeals.

The authority said this would not disadvantage candidates. Appeals would be dealt with, and only afterwards would the rationale by looked at "to give SQA a better understanding of the thinking behind the centres' lodging of appeals".

'Surprising'

The SQA's acting chief executive, Anton Colella, said: "We believe this fall in appeals reflects a welcome increase in the understanding of standards by teachers and their professionalism in more accurately matching their estimates against candidate performance.

"We also believe that this year's numbers reflect increased confidence in the rigour of SQA's marking processes as well as the excellent work done by some 9,000 experienced markers up and down the country."

Not everyone agrees. Opposition politicians and teachers' leaders had criticised the introduction of the "written reasons" requirement.

Fiona Hyslop, the SNP education spokeswoman, said: "Given the current success rate of appeals it is surprising there is a significant drop in applications.

"The SQA's deterrent seems to be working. The question is whether this is good or bad for pupils.

"I don't think the reason the SQA has put forward is the full picture. On one hand the reason they have given should help teachers give more accurate estimates of candidates' performances.

"On the other hand they are going in the completely opposite direction by trying to put barriers on the number of appeals that schools can put forward."

Appeals had been rising. Last year there were 85,000 for all levels of exam - of which 46% were successful - while in 2001 there were 77,000.

But the SQA denied that it was trying to cap the number of appeals.

"All we are doing is trying to understand why significant numbers of appeals are being made," a spokesman said.