Chennai: For the first time, 90.7 per cent pass percentage was recorded in class 10 public exams in Tamil Nadu.
Among the 10 lakh-odd students who appeared for the public exams across the state, more than seven lakh students scored above 60 per cent marks which resulted in high pass percentage in the state. The pass percentage in Tamil Nadu was 89 per cent in 2013 and 86.20 per cent in the 2012 academic year. As usual, the pass percentage of girls was higher — 93.6 per cent — and boys managed to get 88 pass percentage.
Releasing the board exam results in the city on Friday, K. Devarajan, director of government examinations department, said, “The pass percentage has increased 1.7 per cent compared to the previous academic year. Students have excelled in their studies and performed well. The number of centum in language and other subjects is staggering,” he said.
Speaking to DC about increase in pass percentage and the staggering number of centums, Devarajan said, “Extra coaching class, apart from school hours, has become a must for every student in Tamil Nadu. Every parent having a class 10 student at home, prepares him or her for the exam right from class nine. Disconnecting TV, avoiding entertainment and focusing only on studies have become common these days.”
When asked whether the question papers were easy, he countered by saying, “Hundreds of students secure 10 CGPA (Cumulative Grade Average Point) in CBSE system. Does this mean that CBSE question papers were easy?”
He added, “We never compromise on the quality of the question papers and Samacheer syllabus won the praise of NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training) for its standards.”
While the government school managements say that they have improved the pass percentage with special classes and supplied guidebooks for slow learners, it’s known fact that many private schools have opted to teach the class 10 syllabus in class 9 itself.
One of 19 state toppers S.E. Sandhya, student of a private school in Dharmapuri, said she studied important portions repeatedly and ensured she wouldn't forget the answers. “Teachers helped me to learn the lessons thoroughly. They gave tips and enabled me to get all the answers right in the exams,” she said.
