According to the Ministry of Education, approximately 65 lakh students failed their Class 10 and 12 board exams in 2023, revealing stark differences in performance between central and state board students. The failure rate for Class 10 students was 6 percent under central boards, while state board students faced a much higher failure rate of 16 percent. Similarly, for Class 12, the central board failure rate was 12 percent compared to 18 percent for state boards.
The data indicates a notable discrepancy between the number of students who registered for exams and those who successfully passed. Specifically, 33.5 lakh Class 10 students did not advance to Class 11, and 32.4 lakh Class 12 students failed to complete their higher secondary education.
Central vs. State Boards
The 2023 examination landscape in India was managed by 59 boards, including 3 national and 56 state boards. Of these, 41 boards oversee both secondary and higher secondary examinations, while 18 focus on one level. The central board’s relatively lower failure rates highlight the differences in examination standards compared to state boards.
Most boards follow the NCERT curriculum, though six boards, including those in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal, maintain their own curricula. The duration of examinations varies significantly, with Class 10 exams under the CBSE board in Bihar spanning from 8 to 34 days, and Class 12 exams ranging from 10 to 63 days, reflecting diverse organizational practices.
In 2023, Karnataka merged its SSLC (Secondary School Leaving Certificate) and PU (Pre-University) boards into a unified entity, aiming to streamline secondary and higher secondary education in the state. This move underscores the complexity of India’s educational system and the challenges of managing diverse curricula and exam structures.
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Language choice also affected student performance, with Hindi and English being the most commonly used mediums. Marathi, Punjabi, and Bengali-speaking students reported high scores, with percentages of 87.4% and 84.5%, respectively. Hindi and English were dominant in higher secondary exams.
The data revealed significant disparities within states with multiple boards. For example, the gap between Class 10 and 11 results widened in Odisha and West Bengal, indicating a need for a more integrated curriculum.
In Class 12, Science remained the most popular stream among 43 percent of students, followed by Arts (39 percent) and Commerce (13 percent). Gender disparities were evident, with girls predominantly choosing Arts and boys leaning towards Science. Despite these trends, girls outperformed boys across all streams.
The 2023 examination data highlights the complexities and variations within India’s educational system. Addressing these disparities and ensuring consistent educational standards across boards remains a critical focus for policymakers and educators.