Higher success rate, first-div scores in this yr’s Madhyamik
Times of India | 3 May 2025
12 Kolkata: The pass percentage of this year's Madhyamik examination saw a slight rise, from 86.4% last year to 86.6%—7,91,088 out of 9,13,883—this time. The number of students who passed in the first division also increased from last year's 1.1 lakh to 1.2 lakh, showed the results declared by West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) on Friday.
Heads of several schools pointed out that although the number of candidates was quite high, only 10,659 students from across the state scored 90% and above. Trying to find a reason behind it, Hindu School headmaster Subhrajit Dutta said, "Several prominent schools have shifted to other boards over the past few years. Parents, who choose those schools, automatically send their children to those other boards. But we, as govt schools, always try to provide quality education to students." The headmaster at Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya, Narendrapur, Sandipan Maharaj, pointed out that if every school tried to deliver quality education, the overall result would automatically become better. "Our student, Pushpak Ratnam, has ranked 8th. Pushpak is from Bihar and his parents could have easily chosen another board. But they chose our institute for quality education."
Adrita Sarkar from Raiganj Coronation High School has topped Madhyamik with 696 marks (99.4%), while Anubhab Biswas of Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Vidyamandir, Malda, and Soumya Pal of Vishnupur High School hold a joint second position after scoring 694 (99.1%). Ishani Chakraborty of Kotulpur Saroj Masini Balika Vidyalaya stood third with a score of 693 (99%). Abantika Roy of Ramakrishna Sarada Mission Sister Nivedita Girls' School, with a score of 688 (98.3%), ranked eighth. She is the only one from Kolkata to feature among the merit list with 66 students. Abantika said she did not follow any routine but study was her priority. "We emphasised classwork instead of homework, which helped. We motivated students against mobile addiction, which also worked," said school's assistant teacher Archana Santra.
A higher percentage of students have scored above 90% in geography, life science and first language, but there has been a decline in the marks in second language and maths. The results also showed that more girls took the state board Class X exams than boys—5,00,924 girls vs 412,959 boys—but the success rate among girls, that of 84.4%, was less than that of boys, 89.2%. WBBSE president Ramanuj Ganguly pointed out that students from different socio-economic backgrounds appeared for Madhyamik. "The number of those securing a first-division is around the same as every year. Many students who appear for Madhyamik come from different socio-economic backgrounds. Many get to study with the help of the state social schemes," he said.
The state board data shows over 10 lakh students took the exam in 2019, but the number this year was a little above 9 lakh. Officials claimed the Covid impact was still evident. Ganguly said, "Covid had a socio-economic impact. It has forced many youngsters to earn a living."