Pass percentage drops despite ‘reforms’

The total number of the class XII students who passed was 15,90,124. The results of more than 5,000 students have been withheld due to various reasons.

The topper among boys was Gyan Prakash Verma from S S Higher Secondary School,Laperabagh,Barabanki,who scored 94 per cent marks. Among girls,Arpita Pandey from Lucknow Public Intercollege,Rajajirapuram,Lucknow,topped the list with 93.26 per cent marks.

The top-most district in terms of pass percentage was Chhatrapati Sahuji Maharaj Nagar,where the total pass percentage was 91.33 per cent,followed by Maharajganj and Ambedkar Nagar with 91.78 and 91.24 per cent,respectively.

Other major districts like Lucknow,Allahabad,Varanasi and Kanpur (city) stood at 14th ,10th ,39th and 48th positions,respectively.

Addressing media persons here on Monday,Board chairman and director (education),Sanjay Mohan,said that a number of steps were taken to ensure that the students appearing for the UP Board examinations obtained marks that could be competitive with the marks obtained by the students of the CBSE and the ICSE boards.

“This year,we have at least 31 per cent students who have scored distinctions in one or more subjects. The proportion of students securing first division too has gone up by nearly three per cent,while the number of those securing third division has gone down,” said Mohan.

The chairman further said,as a result of concerted efforts to curb malpractices,particularly organised cheating,the number of cheaters caught was low. He,however,did not mention the exact figure. Mohan added that in at least districts – Allahabad,Kaushambi,Hathras,Azamgarh,Etah,Mau,Ballia,Ghazipur and Deoria – uniquely numbered booklets were given to the students to ensure there was no cheating. “We were also able to bust cheating hubs like Kaushambi in time,” said Mohan.

In a novel initiative,the UP Board has also decided to bring out one document containing the mark-sheet and the Board’s examination passing certificate. It will also have the student’s photograph and the date-of-board.

The Board will also take stern action against those schools,where the pass percentage of students was less than 20 per cent. The total number of such schools was 143. There were 7,382 schools,where the result was 75 per cent or more.