Examiners attribute the increase to a change in the paper pattern.
What was once impossible now seems easily possible. The number of students scoring 95 per cent and above in the class 12 CBSE exam, results of which were declared on Monday, has shot up 18 times in six years. This year, 7,231 students secured 95 per cent or more — up from 4,456 in 2012. Six years ago, barely 400 students across the country scored more than 95 per cent in the exam.
Examiners attribute the unprecedented increase to a change in the paper pattern as well as the seriousness with which students prepare for exams.
“Students now know how to score well in board exams. There are sample papers available in the market and so, students are familiar with the paper pattern. There is an element of predictability in the question papers. We are working towards changing that,” CBSE chairperson Vineet Joshi Joshi told dna.
Deepika Srivastava, principal of Rajhans Vidyalaya, Mumbai, says this is because science students are taking school exams more seriously since IITs and NITs will accord more weightage to board results for admissions from this year.
Ameeta Wattal, principal of Springdales School, New Delhi, does not rule out leniency in the assessment of papers. “Students now have the liberty to answer questions in different ways and not regurgitate paragraphs from textbooks. Such leniency in assessment is not bad,” she said.
Students like this year’s topper Paras Sharma, 18, are also surprised. “I was surprised to get 100 in economics because it is a difficult subject to score in,” said Sharma, who also got full marks in business studies, maths and accounts. He got 95 in English.
All-India toppers
99% Sopan Khosla (Science), Delhi Public School, Jabalpur
98% Pratyush Singh (Arts), Kendriya Vidyalaya, Tenga Valley (Arunachal)
99% Paras Sharma (Commerce) of Lancer’s Convent (Delhi)
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