Premium

After SSC results, slight decrease in 11th grade cutoff expected

D. D. Kumbhar, Vice Principal of Fergusson Junior College told The Indian Express, "As the marks for Class 11 have decreased by around 1.7 per cent, the cutoff for Class 11 will also decrease in the same proportion."

Kumbhar said that top-ranking students getting attracted to ‘integrated courses’ or ‘dummy colleges’ was an issue that the government should focus on.

Due to the 1.71% decline in the SSC Class 10 results compared to last year, it is expected that the cutoff for admission to Class 11 in reputed colleges in the city will also go down by around the same figure. However, experts have observed that even though the qualifying marks will decrease, the competition for admission will remain.

D. D. Kumbhar, Vice Principal of Fergusson Junior College told The Indian Express, “As the marks for Class 11 have decreased by around 1.7 per cent, the cutoff for Class 11 will also decrease in the same proportion. Last year, the first round general merit cutoff at Fergusson arts stream was 97 per cent and 96.40 per cent for science stream. So we can assume that the cutoff will go down by the same 1.7 percent.”

Dr. Sunil Gaikwad, Principal of S. P. College, said, ‘Due to the decrease in results, the qualifying marks may decrease by one to two per cent. However, there will still be competition for admission in reputed colleges. Students from other parts of the state get admission in colleges in Pune city every year.’ According to data provided by Gaikwad, the first round cutoff at S.P. college in 2024 for Science-aided (english) was 93 per cent and for Arts-aided (English) was 93.4 per cent.

Kumbhar also said that top-ranking students getting attracted to ‘integrated courses’ or ‘dummy colleges’ was an issue that the government should focus on. “Coaching classes mislead the students and some high merit students take admissions in these integrated courses or dummy classes. This is unfortunate for the system. These private classes should not be conducted during college hours. If such a rule is bought, then both can work well together. We are not saying that classes should not be run, but both should not be held at the same time,” he added.

This year, the central online admission process for Class 11 admissions has been implemented across the state. Previously this was limited to five divisions of Pune, Mumbai, Nashik, Amravati, and Nagpur. Schools and junior colleges have been given a deadline of May 15 for registration, after which student registration process will start from May 19. Four rounds of admission will be implemented. Junior colleges will start on August 11.

Soham Shah

Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting. Professional Background Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune. Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics. Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories: 1. Investigations & Governance "Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents. "44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families. 2. Education & Campus Life Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University. "Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial. "Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers. 3. Human Rights & Social Issues "Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India. "'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying. Signature Style Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty. X (Twitter): @SohamShah07 ... Read More

Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories