Red Sword or Corrective Device: Chromaticity of Pens

This paper investigates the chromatic impact of the pen color used in marking, grading and error correction, particularly focusing on the prevalent use of red ink in Indian educational contexts. Drawing on a survey of 193 participants aged 18 to 80, the study reveals that a significant majority perceive red ink as undesirable. The paper situates these findings within broader psychological and cultural frameworks, noting that the high visibility of red as a color also carries punitive associations that are often amplified in formative and summative assessment contexts. By integrating educational psychology and color theory, the study advocates for chromatic empathy in assessment practices where color choices are aligned with the emotional and motivational needs of students. This is a theoretical paper that uses empirical data to confirm the gut feelings about the usage of the red colored pen for correction. This explorative survey study calls for a serious rethinking of the chromaticity of pens and urges that it must not be used as a sword to wield power and make the whole academic process hegemony free.