Class 12th Results: Why Pass Percentage Alone Doesn’t Tell the Full Story

Class 12th Results: Why Pass Percentage Alone Doesn’t Tell the Full Story

By Sakib | JKBOSE |

 Srinagar, May 1:
The recently declared Class 12th results by the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) show that 24 government higher secondary schools in Kashmir recorded pass percentages below 50%. But the concern runs deeper than just numbers — it's also about how few students are enrolled and how inadequately staffed many schools are.

According to official data, 377 government higher secondary schools across Kashmir took part in the exams. While three schools celebrated a 100% pass rate, 24 schools fell below the 50% mark. The lowest performing among them was Government Girls Higher Secondary School (GHSS) Baramulla, with just 28.13%. Out of 32 students, only nine passed.

Government Boys HSS Gurgari Muhalla in Srinagar recorded a slightly higher pass percentage at 36.36%, but only 11 students appeared for the exam — and just four passed. A similar trend was seen at Government HSS Salamabad Uri and Government HSS Sultandaki, with pass rates of 46.15% and 47% respectively. However, while only 13 students took the exam at Salamabad Uri, 117 appeared from Sultandaki. This shows that identical pass percentages can represent very different ground realities.

In another example, Government HSS Managam in Baramulla and Government Boys HSS Dawar both reported a 50% pass rate. But at Managam, only six students appeared and three passed, whereas at Dawar, 48 out of 48 students passed — a major difference in scale and outcome.

Similar disparities can be seen in schools with higher pass percentages as well. Government HSS Duroo and HSS Y K Pora both reported a 75% success rate, but Duroo had just eight examinees compared to 132 at Y K Pora.

Experts argue that schools with very low enrollment should be able to achieve better outcomes, given the scope for individualized attention. “When there are only a handful of students, teachers can give them personal attention — something that’s harder to manage in larger classrooms,” said a senior lecturer, speaking anonymously.

The issue isn't just academic performance — it's structural. The number of teachers available per school and the actual student strength must also be factored in when evaluating school performance. As a senior education official pointed out, "We shouldn’t rely solely on pass percentages. We need to consider how many students appeared in the exams to truly understand the situation."

With concerns rising over government school outcomes, particularly in Class 10th and 12th results, the Director of School Education Kashmir is expected to convene a high-level meeting soon. The goal: to go beyond surface-level statistics and address the deeper challenges facing public education in the region.