66 Lakh Students Fail Class X and XII Boards in 2023, Reveals Ministry of Education Report

A Ministry of Education report disclosed that nearly 66 lakh students failed their Class X and XII boards in 2023. Central board students had lower failure rates compared to state board students. The report highlighted a performance decline from 2022 and diverse factors affecting results, including syllabus variations and socio-economic factors.

Nearly 66 lakh students failed to clear their Class X and XII board exams in 2023, according to a report by the Ministry of Education. The report, which reviewed the 2023 Secondary and Higher Secondary Boards, indicated a significant performance gap between students from central and state boards.

Central board students had a failure rate of six percent in Class X and 12 percent in Class XII. In contrast, students from state boards faced higher failure rates, with 16 percent failing Class X and 18 percent failing Class XII. Approximately 33.5 lakh students were unable to advance from Class X to Class XI due to either non-appearance or failure.

The report also revealed that 32.4 lakh students failed to complete their higher secondary education. Covering 59 examination boards, including three national-level and 56 state-level boards, the report noted an overall decline in student performance compared to 2022, attributing it to a more extensive syllabus.

The analysis highlighted varying syllabi across different boards, with some states like Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal maintaining their curricula. Exam durations also varied, with Class X exams ranging from eight days in Bihar to 34 days under the CBSE. In Class XII, the duration ranged from 10 days in Bihar to 63 days in Punjab.

Language choice impacted exam performance; Hindi and English were the most popular mediums, but Marathi, Punjabi, and Bengali speakers achieved the highest pass rates. There was also an improvement in pass rates for students from socio-economically disadvantaged groups, including girls and students from SC and ST communities.

In government schools, more girls than boys registered for Class X exams, but the trend reversed in private schools. The report detailed stream preferences, with 43 percent of students opting for Science, 39 percent for Arts, 13 percent for Commerce, and three percent for vocational streams, with girls dominating the Arts stream and boys in Science.

Significant disparities in 10th and 12th board results within states like Odisha and West Bengal highlighted the need for a unified board system and consistent standards. However, states like Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Manipur saw a narrowing performance gap between the two board exams.