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Journalism of Courage
Kolkata students bagged the first, second and third positions in the Class XII (ISC) exams, with a pass percentage of 98.48 in the state, as declared by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) on Monday. Class X (ICSE) results were also declared the same day. Students in the state featured prominently in merit lists of both ISC and ICSE exams. Ananya Maity of Heritage School Kolkata here was declared the national topper of the Class XII exams with 99.5 per cent marks. Devesh Lakhotia from St. Xavier’s Collegiate School bagged the joint-second position with 99.25 per cent. Anant Kothari and Sougata Chowdhury from the same school stood joint-third with 99 per cent marks.
Meanwhile, Debasree Pal from Auxilium Convent School in Barasat stood joint-second in ICSE with 99.20 per cent. According to Nabarun Dey, general secretary of the Bengal chapter of Association of Heads of ICSE Schools, no city has ever produced all top three rankholders in either ISC or ICSE. “I have been with CISCE for last 25 years, and I have not seen this kind of record set by any city. This is indeed unprecedented,” Dey told The Indian Express. He also said students from the suburbs of Kolkata have also scored well in both exams.
Her school principal, Seema Sapru, said Ananya has a flair for the arts and creative writing. “She is a very mature and well-behaved girl. She takes part in a lot of activities which involve writing. I have known her for the last nine years, and she is a good student. I am on cloud nine today,” she said. Devesh Lakhotia from St. Xavier’s Collegiate School, who stood joint-second in ISC, wants to pursue management studies.
“I really worked hard with full sincerity and the result is here. I am very happy today,” said Devesh. Anant Kothari of the same school, who stood joint-third in ISC, lost his father months before the examination. “My father would have been proud of me if he were alive. I never expected such a result. My family supported me all the time,” said Anant, whose favourite subject is English.
His schoolmate, Sougata Chowdhury, who stood joint-third, had ranked first at the national level in his ICSE examination. “I had topped the ICSE two years ago with 99.25 marks. This time, I got 99 per cent marks. I am happy to repeat the same result,” said Sougata. Debasree Pal from Auxilium Convent School in Barasat, who stood joint-second in ICSE with 99.20 per cent, said she wanted to be a doctor.
Congratulating the students, St. Xavier’s College principal Father Felix Raj told The Indian Express: “We are very happy with their performance. We have to congratulate them and their parents. They have set an example for other students to follow.”
