Pass Percentage In Odisha Plus II Arts Dips To 78.88; Better Than Pre-COVID Times, Say S&ME Secy

Bhubaneswar: There has been a dip in overall pass percentage in Plus Arts stream exam 2023, the result of which was declared by Council of Higher Secondary Education (CHSE), Odisha, on Thursday,

According to CHSE, 78.88% students cleared the exam compared to 82.80% in 2022. While Balasore district topped with 84.97%, Nabarangpur scored the lowest at 70.74%. Girls outshined boys with a pass percentage of 85.66 against 70.43.

The CHSE further said that 181,869 of 230,545 students cleared the exam, which was conducted from March 2-April 5.

A pass percentage of 67.48 was recorded in vocational studies this year. A total of 3,860 candidates cleared the exam. At least 843 students have secured first division, 1751 got the second division and 1115 third division. The pass percentage among boys in vocational studies is 64.23 and 71.10 in case of girls.

Calling it the “first normal board exams” since 2019, School and Mass Education secretary Aswathy S attributed the drop in the pass percentage to exam pattern. “We cannot use this result as a yardstick since the pass percentage is better than that of pre-COVID times. The higher secondary board exam was held with 100% syllabus this year while students had appeared for the exam with 70% syllabus last year with 50% in MCQ format,” she said.

Comprehensive training is being conducted for principals and teachers of vocational colleges are being trained as plans are afoot to change both the curriculum and structure, she said.

While admission for 106 higher secondary schools has begun on SAM portal, the secretary added that the number could be increased further to provide opportunity to all students.

The overall pass percentage in Science and Commerce streams, the results of which were declared on May 31, stood at 84.93 and 81.12 respectively against 94.12% and 89.2% the previous year.