6K city kids break 90% barrier

1.48% Students From Across Maharashtra Scored Over 90%. ICSE Students Performed Better With 4% Scoring As High

Hemali Chhapia | TNN

Mumbai: The campus of Dadar’s Balmohan Vidyamandir, the popularly called the ‘toppers’ factory’, resembled a picture straight out of Diwali celebrations. On Thursday, 53 of its students had scored over 90%, the magical number that opens doors into just about any city college. Last year, the pool of highscorers in this school stood way lower at just 14.

It was a similar scene in several other schools across the city. Bombay Cambridge had 25 of its students in this elite 90% club, up from the previous year’s ten. The People’s Education Society, too, had 20 students who scored 90% and above, this year.

Data from the state board reveals that 1.48% or 18,863 students from across Maharashtra scored over 90%; last year it stood at 13,679. In fact, though, the Mumbai division witnessed a dip in its success rate, the top of the chart looked impressive with 6,190 candidates (as compared to last year’s 4,083) who crossed the 90% barrier.

State board chairperson Vijaysheela Sardesai said that the percentage of high scorers was still way lower than the toppers of the other boards. Across Maharashtra, 3.95% ICSE students had scored over 90%.

One school principal pointed out that getting over 90% this year has a whole new meaning with the state wanting to reserve 90% per cent of junior college seats for SSC students.

Apart from the large pool of high rankers, the number of distinction holders has also gone up. Junior college principals feel that the problem of plenty may hit the “pedestrian” first class and distinction holders. Devaluation of the ‘distinction slot’ had once forced the state to redefine the term. In 1975, the bar for distinction was raised from 70% to 75% in Maharashtra, as the state felt that 70% had become commonplace.

Academicians feel that exam reforms have also been responsible in boosting scores. “Today, a larger number of students manage to fall in the 70-75% bracket, due to internal assessment, and the fact that papers have become more objective over the years. You can’t discount competition, either. Students prepare for Class X exams from Class IX itself,” said a state board official.

An improvement in performance was evident across schools. If 33 schools had 0% pass percentage in 2006, only 21 in the Mumbai region failed completely, this year. Similarly, if 192 schools had a 100% success rate in 2006, the number jumped to 525 institutions. So, if the state once revised the distinction definition, it may be time to revisit the toweringly high 90% label.

Thane shines for 7th consecutive year

Residents of Thane had reason to celebrate when the state board Class X results were announced on Thursday morning. Three of the city’s toppers in the Mumbai division — Sonali Chavan (96.46%), Shefali Mhadadalkar (96.3%) and Tejal Pradhan (96.15%) were local girls. This is the seventh consecutive year that Thane has produced city toppers. The total pass percentage in Thane district was 86.16 per cent. Of the 1,353 schools in the district, 17% ensured that all its students passed the exams.

Question mark on 90:10
The Maharashtra government on Thursday assured the Bombay High Court that while it would begin the process of admissions from Friday, the admissions would be finalised only after the court’s decision on the 90:10 issue. The HC has scheduled the hearing of the PIL challenging the 90:10 rule on June 29

With inputs from Pratibha Mansad

RIDING HIGH: Sonali Shantaram Chavan will never forget the day she topped the SSC exam in Mumbai