CBSE Class 12: 95 percenters rise but 90 percenters dip

NEW DELHI: The Central Board of Secondary Education announced the results for the Class 12 exams on Tuesday, revealing a success rate of 88.4%, a slight improvement from last year's 88%. This year, 24,867 students achieved an aggregate score of over 95%. Girls outperformed boys once again, securing a pass percentage of 91.6% compared to 85.7% for boys.

There was an increase in the candidate pool, rising from 16.2 lakh in 2024 to 16.9 lakh in 2025. However, the number of students scoring above 90% dipped slightly by 4,601, settling at 1.1 lakh, which constitutes 6.6% of the total examinees.

The count of students achieving 95% and above increased slightly, rising from 24,068 in 2024 to 24,867 in 2025. In contrast, the number of students scoring above 90% saw a slight decline, dropping from nearly 1.2 lakh in 2024 to 1.1 lakh in 2025. Top-performing regions overall included Vijayawada, which topped the charts with a 99.6% pass rate.

Vijayawada was followed by Thiruvananthapuram with a pass rate of 99.3%, Chennai with 97.4%, Bengaluru 96% and Delhi West 95.4%. In the Delhi region alone, 3.1 lakh students appeared for the exam, of which 2.9 lakh cleared it, translating to a pass percentage of 95.2%.

For girls, Lakshadweep emerged as the standout performer among states, with a perfect 100% pass rate, followed closely by Telangana at 99.8%, Andhra Pradesh at 99.6%, and Kerala at 99.6%. Among regions, Vijayawada led with a 99.7% pass rate for girls, followed by Thiruvananthapuram at 99.6% and Chennai at 98%.

CBSE has reiterated that it does not release merit lists or divisions in its board exam results to prevent unhealthy competition among students. “As per a prior decision by the board, no merit list is prepared or declared. Additionally, the board does not categorise students into first, second, or third divisions,” said CBSE examination controller Sanyam Bhardwaj.

However, the board will award merit certificates to the top 0.1% of students who achieve the highest marks in each subject. These certificates will be accessible through the students' DigiLocker accounts, Bhardwaj added. The number of students receiving compartmental results increased this year, with nearly 1.3 lakh (7.6% of the total) placed in this category, up from 1.2 lakh in the previous cycle.

The overall pass percentage for NDMC schools in Class XII stood at 98.5%. In Class X, the results improved to 99.4 from 98.5 in the previous year. NDMC has eight Navyug and 22 Atal Adarsh Vidyalayas.

Schools expressed pride and satisfaction over their students’ accomplishments. Meenu Kanwar, principal of Amity International School, Mayur Vihar, said, “Our students have shone with 288 distinctions, a school average of 88.7%, and a topper scoring 98.4% in the science stream. Additionally, 68 students secured above 95%, while 64 students achieved a perfect 100% in individual subjects.” Alka Kapur, principal of Modern Public School, highlighted how girls were inspiring everyone with their performance. “With 99.4% as the highest aggregate, 146 students securing first divisions and 319 scoring 90% and above in various subjects, our students have again proven their unwavering dedication. Twenty-six students scored a perfect 100,” she said.

Anju Soni, principal of Shiv Nadar School, Noida, said, “We are immensely proud of our students. Their results reflect not only academic excellence but also consistent effort and a deep commitment to learning. It is heartening to witness not just high scores across subjects but also evidence of conceptual clarity, analytical thinking, and intellectual curiosity – hallmarks of future-ready learners.”