SSC results: Boys almost steal the girls’ thunder

MUMBAI: The results of the Secondary School Certificate examination are out and while the girls have done better again, the boys are within striking distance. Girls are just a notch higher with a pass percentage of 78.51. The boys have done almost as well with 78.01 per cent.

In Mumbai, the overall pass percentage is 78.20. “This year, boys have improved their performance by 2 per cent,” said Vijaysheela Sardesai, who chairs the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (Mumbai division). “But the performance of students in mathematics has been a low.”

Latur girl Monica Mashalkar is the state topper with 96.66 per cent. The city topper is Juili Joshi, a student of General Education Institute’s High School in Kalyan, with 95.6 per cent. “I studied for just about three hours every day,” Juili said.

Shanker Joshi, her proud father, said: “She has been a topper throughout. We were expecting her to do well this time too, but never imagined she would come first.”

Nikhil Pangale is the topper in the reserved category with 93.86 per cent. Saloni Parasrampuria topped the handicapped category with 90.66 per cent. The night school topper is Shahnaaz Khan (78 per cent).

Incidentally, the board will not declare an SSC merit list from next year.