The overall pass percentage of Class XII students across the three education boards — CBSE, CICSE and Maharashtra HSC have improved this year but the state board students may still remain at a disadvantage during college admissions as maximum students from the two national boards have scored above 90 percent.

The marking system in the state board is seen as less generous whereas CBSE and CICSC students score higher marks in Class XII examinations which results in the students sweeping the admissions to the better colleges and in preferred courses.

This year, the overall pass percentage for Maharashtra HSC students improved by 4.78 percent. While last year, the percentage stood at 85.88, this year it is 90.66 percent. The total number of HSC students who scored more than 90 percent raised from 4,470 last year to 7,344 this year. Out of these, 3,109 students belong to the Mumbai division.

Meanwhile, for the pass percentage for CBSE Class XII for Maharashtra was 90.4 and 98.5 percent for ISC.

While the CBSE and ICSE have not released the number of students who have secured above 90 per cent marks, an analysis of individual school performance showed that most students achieved 90 percent or above. 

The cut-offs for traditional courses, such as B.Com and BA, as well as for self-financed courses — Bachelor of Financial Markets, Bachelor of Accounting and Finance, Bachelor in Mass Media, Bachelor in Management Studies, Bachelor in Banking and Insurance remained over 90 per cent.

State board class X students (SSC), whose results are to be declared by July 30, are also staring at a similar fate. In Mumbai, the highest score for CBSE class X whose results were announced on July 15, improved to 99.6 percent this year from 99.4 percent last year. For ICSE, results for which were announced on July 10, the highest score in Mumbai this year was 99.6 percent.

The state board chairman Shakuntala Kale told The Indian Express, “To help state board students achieve more marks, we have implemented the best of five policy where five subjects with highest marks are chosen for assessment. For SSC students, we reintroduced the oral exams after its removal saw a slide in pass percentage. The SSC results are yet to be announced, so I cannot make a comment about this year’s admission.”

Former chairperson of Maharashtra state board and education expert, Vasant Kalpande suggested that the state should implement the recommendation of the draft New Education Policy to consider Classes IX to XII as one unit so that students studying in CBSE and ICSE in Class 10 do not migrate to the state board. He added, “The education department should make it compulsory for CBSE and ICSE students to complete their classes XI and XII in their own boards. Unhealthy competition for first-year junior college can be mitigated in this manner. If students prefer CBSE and ICSE boards up to Class X for the level of education these boards provide, they shouldn’t have an issue studying in the schools till class XII.”

Source: The Indian Express