Matric pass percentage declines to 76.23%

| | CUTTACK | in Bhubaneswar

For the first time in last five years, the pass percentage this year in the crucial annual High School Certificate (HSC) examinations conducted by the Board of Secondary Education (BSE) for Odia medium schools recorded below 80 per cent.

Only 76.23 per cent students passed the Matriculation Examinations-2018, the results of which were published here on Monday morning. Amid the shadow of question papers getting leaked every day, the examinations had been held from February 23 to March 8.

Similarly, there were initial hiccups during the evaluation of answer sheets as some senior teachers boycotted the process and the BSE managed to complete the process within the scheduled period by engaging junior teachers from its reserved strength.

Ever since the examination pattern changed to subjective and objective patterns of equal marks in 2012, the pass percentage showed an upward trend barring in the first two years.

In 2014, a record 80.97 per cent of students cleared the examinations with flying colours In 2015, the pass percentage was also pegged at 80.93; and in 2016; a total of 83.72 per cent of students passed the examinations. However, in 2017, the pass percentage for the first time in the history of the BSE crossed 85 per cent to be pegged at 85.28.

But the fall in the pass percentage this year is viewed by some educationists as a course correction by the BSE to ensure that only capable and deserving students passed and sent up to pursue their higher education.

“With the ‘no fail’ system introduced up to Class-IX by the State Government, the BSE needs to make sure that the undeserving students do not crowd the college campuses,” said the Principal of a Plus II college here requesting to remain anonymous.

From among the 5,54,339 students who appeared at the examinations as Regular students, 4,27,795 students passed in various grades. While 76.63 per cent of boys passed, the pass percentage of girls was a little better at 77.85 per cent.

School and Mass Education Minister Badri Narayan Patra released the result booklets here at the BSE office. The Department Secretary and BSE officials were also present when the Minister also released the booklets of Madhyama (Sanskrit) and Open School Certificate Examinations results.