The Union Ministry of Education’s 2023 review of India’s Secondary and Higher Secondary Boards revealed significant trends, including a stark gap between exam registrations and pass rates. This year, around 33.5 lakh Class 10th students did not advance to Class 11th, either due to non-appearance or failure, while 32.4 lakh Class 12th students failed to complete their higher secondary education.
The review highlighted performance disparities between central and state boards. Central board students experienced lower failure rates—6% in Class 10th and 12% in Class 12th—compared to state board students, who faced higher failure rates of 16% and 18%, respectively. This comprehensive analysis covered 59 examination boards, offering insights into student performance across different boards, mediums, and streams.
India’s examination system, encompassing three national-level and 56 state-level boards, exhibits significant diversity. While most boards follow the NCERT curriculum, six, including those in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal, adhere to their own curricula. This variation fuels the ongoing debate over educational standardization in the country.
Exam duration also varied widely, from 8 days in Bihar to 34 days under CBSE for Class 10th, and from 10 days in Bihar to 63 days in Punjab for Class 12th. A significant development in 2023 was Karnataka’s decision to merge the SSLC (Secondary School Leaving Certificate) Board and PU (Pre-University) Board into a single entity, aiming to streamline education within the state.
Language choice impacted exam performance, with Hindi and English being the most common mediums. Marathi, Punjabi, and Bengali medium students achieved the highest pass rates in secondary exams, while higher secondary exams saw a slight decline in overall pass rates. Despite the disparities, girls consistently outperformed boys across all streams and school management types.
Private schools recorded the highest pass rates, while government schools lagged behind. The 2023 results underscored the successes and areas needing improvement within India’s education system, highlighting disparities in board performance, student retention challenges, and the need for a more standardized curriculum.
