Significant Rise in CBSE Class 12 High Scorers Over the Last Decade
CBSE Class 12 Results Soon: 95% scorers grew by 247% in a decade, three times the rise in student numbers
The Indian Express
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Over the past decade, the number of students scoring 95% or above in the CBSE Class 12 examinations has surged by 247%, while the total number of candidates increased by 76%. This trend highlights a growing disparity in high scores, leading to extreme cut-offs in higher education admissions.
- 01The number of students scoring 95% or above has increased by 247% in the last decade.
- 02Total candidates appearing for the CBSE Class 12 exams rose by 76%.
- 03In 2021, a record 70,004 students scored 95% or above, the highest in the decade.
- 04The shift to the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) was introduced to address issues of mark inflation.
- 05The rising number of high scorers has led to unsustainable cut-offs in elite institutions.
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The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has reported a remarkable increase in high scorers among Class 12 students over the past decade. The total number of candidates appearing for the exams rose from 9,62,122 in 2015 to 16,92,794 in 2024, marking a 76% increase. In contrast, the number of students scoring 95% or above surged from 7,162 to 24,867, a staggering 247% increase. This trend highlights a significant disparity in high scores, with the frequency of top scorers rising much faster than overall participation. The phenomenon of mark inflation has been evident since before 2015, with reports indicating a 23-fold increase in high scorers from 384 in 2008 to 8,971 in 2014. The implications of this trend have been felt in higher education, where cut-offs for prestigious colleges have reached 100% for certain courses, making traditional merit-list systems unsustainable. In response, the CBSE shifted to the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) in 2022 to standardize admissions and address the widening gap in evaluation standards.
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The rising number of high scorers is affecting college admissions, leading to extremely high cut-off marks that may disadvantage students with lower scores.
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