Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh recorded a pass percentage of 77.2% in the CBSE Class XII results announced on Wednesday, reflecting a decline of 2.9 percentage points from last year's 80.1%. In 2024, the state had achieved a pass rate of 79.1%. This year's performance continues a trend of lower achievement for Uttar Pradesh compared to many other states.
Comparative Performance Across States
With a pass percentage of 77.2%, Uttar Pradesh managed to outperform Bihar (74.5%) and Odisha (76.8%) but lagged behind states such as Madhya Pradesh (79.43%), Tripura (79.2%), and Arunachal Pradesh (78.6%). The top-performing states were Kerala and Tamil Nadu, with pass percentages of 95.61% and 95.25%, respectively.
Gender and Category Analysis
Girls once again outperformed boys, with 83.3% clearing the exams compared to 72.8% of boys. Category-wise, 80.1% of candidates from the general category passed, while the pass percentages for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) stood at 74.1%, 77.2%, and 74.3%, respectively.
Reasons for Poor Performance
According to a CBSE official from Lucknow, the poor pupil-teacher ratio and lack of emphasis on education are key factors behind the state's underperformance. "I feel there is much that the state can do to improve performance. We need more teachers and resources such as textbooks, technology, and better infrastructure that can help students learn and perform well in exams," the official said. He added that language barriers may also pose a challenge for UP students, particularly those not proficient in English or Hindi.
Evaluation Reforms: On Screen Marking
CBSE implemented On Screen Marking (OSM) for the evaluation of Class XII answer books this year. The key benefits of OSM include maintenance of secrecy, error-free evaluation, complete assessment, reduced human intervention, transparency, and accountability.
No Merit List Issued
In line with the board's earlier decision to avoid 'unhealthy competition' among students, no merit list was declared by CBSE. Additionally, the board is not awarding first, second, or third divisions to students, according to a press release issued by CBSE Controller of Examinations Sanyam Bhardwaj. However, the board will issue merit certificates to the top 0.1% of students who scored the highest marks in each subject.
Student Registration and Results
At least 3.79 lakh students, including 2.2 lakh boys and 1.59 lakh girls, registered for Class XII exams from 3,761 schools across the state. Of these, 3.75 lakh (2.17 lakh boys and 1.58 lakh girls) appeared for the exams, and 2.90 lakh (1.58 lakh boys and 1.31 lakh girls) successfully cleared them.
