Karnataka: SSLC pass rate dips 2%, but toppers’ ranks swell

Sruthy Susan Ullas & Farheen Hussain | TNN | Aug 11, 2020, 06:24 IST

Photo used for representational purpose only

BENGALURU: As many as 71.8% students have cleared the SSLC examinations, which were postponed from March-April amid uncertainties caused by Covid and eventually held in June-July when the number of cases saw an alarming spike, and six students from across the state have achieved the perfect score — 625 on 625.
Announcing the exam results here on Monday, minister for primary and secondary education S Suresh Kumar said the pass percentage — it was 73.3% in 2019 — is good since there was no classroom teaching or revision for nearly 100 days and students wrote the exam amid pandemic fears. “I congratulate them on overcoming the challenges. Some said overall result may not cross 60% this time,” he added.
On the brighter side, 301 students having secured 620-plus against the total of 625, and scorers in the top six slots increased 77% over last year. Six students scored 625 out of 625 as against only two last year. Eleven secured 624, the same as 2019. The number of those who notched up 623 was 43 (as against 19 last year); 622 was 56 (39), 621 was 68 (43) and 620 was 117 (56).

From this year, the Karnataka Secondary Examination Board has stopped ranking districts on students’ pass percentage and graded them on three parameters: Passes, average marks scored and excellent performances.
Mangaluru and Davanagere, among top 10 last year, have got grade B. Madhugiri and Chikkaballapura education districts have made the A cut.
As many as 8.1 lakh students appeared for the exams. Pass percentage of boys and girls dipped by 2 from last year to 66.4 and 77.7, respectively. Unaided schools recorded the highest pass percentage — 82 — followed by government institutions (72) and aided ones at 70.6.
While there was only a marginal increase in the number of students scoring centums in first language and maths, it shot up by 2.6 times for third language with 21,745 kids bagging the perfect score. The number leapfrogged in science too with 910 scoring full marks as against 226 last year.