Bihar board Class 10 exams results out; 50% students flunk

The Bihar School Education Board (BSEB) here on Thursday declared the results of the Class 10 examinations held in March, with 49.88 per cent students flunking the exams.

Only 50.12 of the candidates passed the exams since strict steps were taken against cheating, officials said here. Last year, the pass percentage was 47.

Prem Kumar of Govind High School of Lakhisarai district topped the board, scoring 465 out of 500 marks. He was followed by Bhavya Kumar of Simulitallah School in Jamui district, who scored 464 marks. Harshita, also from Simulitallah School, came in third.

"Of the Class 10 pass-outs, only 14 per cent got first division, 26.8 per cent second division and 9.3 per cent third division," BSEB chairman Anand Kishore said.

The Class 12 results of the board were announced on May 30, which too recorded a low pass percentage.

Kishore said nearly 17.27 lakh students appeared in Class 10 exams this year, of whom 8.63 lakh have passed.

He said it was for the first time that codes were used on answer-sheets to ensure that no unfair means were employed during evaluation.

A senior BSEB official said the low pass percentage vindicated their efforts to conduct a cheating-free examinations this year.

Closed-circuit television was installed at the entrances to examination halls and videography conducted during examinations.

Use of all communication gadgets, including mobile phones, inside examination halls was disallowed.

Mass cheating in board exams has been reported in Bihar for years. Every year, the media has reported about cheating going on with impunity at various exam centres.

--IANS

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