BENGALURU: Karnataka has recorded 94.1 pass percentage in the SSLC exam-1 (fresh or regular students), the highest-ever in history, as against 80.04 pass percentage in the previous academic year.
Dismissing speculations that the increase is due to reduction in pass marks for each subject from 35 to 30 and an aggregate percentage of 33, Minister for School Education and Literacy, Madhu Bangarappa pointed out that only 1,532 students have been benefitted by the reduction. He said, “A lot of people had criticised the department for reducing the pass marks. However, it has been able to help only a few thousand students and not in large numbers.”
Around 8,66,045 students, including fresh candidates, private candidates, repeaters had registered for the exams and of which 8,56,516 students appeared and 7,60,002 students passed, recording an overall pass percentage of 88.73, as against 74.74% last year.
SSLC exam-2 from May 8 to 25
Madhu Bangarappa said with such good results and the increase in the number of pass candidates, there will not be an exam-3. “Only exam-2 will be conducted from May 8 to 25 and there will be no exam fee collected from students who have failed the exam-1. However, if students want to improve their marks, then they will have pay to exam fee. For girls and SC/ST candidates, there is no exam fee. Exam-2 schedule will be out soon.”
Third language row
The state has followed HC instructions to allot marks instead of grades for third language. “No grace marks were allotted for third language or any subject. Meanwhile, for those who want to improve marks or have failed in third language in exam-1, there will be no exam fees for third language only,” he said.
A total of 10,963 students failed in third language including English, Kannada, Hindi, Sanskrit and others. This year, the highest number of students failed in Hindi. Of 7,02,009 students appeared for Hindi as their third language, 6,92,528 students passed which is 98.7%, and only 9,481 failed (1.35%). Similarly, around 10,237 students appeared for Kannada and 9,948 students passed while 289 students failed. Meanwhile, of 28,497 students appeared for English, 27,317 cleared while 1,180 failed.
Bangarappa said, “There is a lot of difference in terms of pass percentage for third language when compared to last year. In Hindi alone, 75,792 candidates had failed in exam-1, while 1,359 had failed in Kannada and around 5,843 students had failed in English.”
The minister took pride in the fact that Kalyana Karnataka districts have done well by recording high pass percentages in the history of the SSLC exams.
TOP PERFORMING DISTRICTS
Dakshina Kannada 98.40%
Udupi: 98.18%
Uttara Kannada 98.09%
Hassan: 97.51%
DISTS WITH LESS PASS PERCENTAGE
Kalaburagi 85.06
Madhugiri: 90.26
Chikkaballapura 90.88
Bengaluru South 91.65
B’luru pass percentage
Bengaluru North 95.33
Bengaluru South 91.64
Bengaluru Rural 95.33
