Maharashtra board MSBSHSE 12th result 2019: Science sees dip, goes against the stream

Scores of higher secondary certificate (HSC) students from science stream saw a sharp decline, compared to last year, as the results of the state board’s Class 12 exams were announced on Tuesday.

According to the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE), pass percentage for science stream in the state stood at 91.08%, compared to last year’s 94.57%. Pass percentage of Mumbai division for science stream dropped to 83.16%, compared to last year’s 90.49%.

The number of students scoring above 75% – distinction grade – in the stream in Mumbai division has almost halved (7,377, from last year’s 13,044).

Other streams, too, saw a drop, with pass percentage for arts in Mumbai division at 70.24% (last year was 73.42%), commerce at 82.28% (last year was 84.23%) and vocational at 82.06% (last year was 87.32%). In the state, the pass percentage for arts was 72.75% (last year was 75.53%), commerce was 85.78% (last year was 87.16%) and vocational was 74.89% (last year was 78.80%).

According to experts, change in examination pattern, rigorous assessment and students’ focus on competitive tests at the expense of board examination are to blame.

Data also shows that fewer students have cleared core science subjects, including mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology. In Mumbai division, mathematics and statistics, physics and chemistry have witnessed around seven per cent dip in the success rate, the steepest among all major subjects.

Satram Verhani, vice-principal, CHM college, said the revised syllabus played an important role in the scores. “All questions in the exam are compulsory, leaving no scope for students to skip even a part of the syllabus. This puts tremendous pressure on students, especially from vernacular background, as they have to study the entire syllabus,” he said.

Verhani said most students who prepare for competitive exams often focus little on languages, affecting their overall scores.

Subhash Joshi, trustee, Science Parivar, a group of coaching institutes, said the dip in scores would have a negative impact on prospects of students who will write competitive exams such as JEE. “For JEE, students need to get 50% aggregate in physics, chemistry and mathematics, which was not considered tough earlier. In the new pattern, however, students seem to be struggling with it,” he said.

The number of high scorers in commerce stream, however, has increased to 24,064 from last year’s 21,860. Some colleges in the city saw many students scoring above 90%. Parag Thakkar, in-charge principal, HR College, said, “The number of students scoring 90% and above has gone up from 26% of the total students in 2018 to 33% this year, which is a good sign for the stream.”