Boys outperformed girls in the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education results declared today. The pass percentage of the males and females revealed a stark difference. Around 89.21 per cent of the boys passed the WBBSE exam while 83.9 per cent of the girls could clear Class X successfully.

The boys’ better performance in the board exams comes despite more participation from the females. According to the president of the board, Ramanuj Ganguly, a total of 9,23,636, including external candidates had enrolled for the exams this year. Of this, 9,12,598 had appeared. The number of male candidates appearing for the board exams stood at 4,03,900 while 5,08,698 females wrote their exams. As pointed out by the board president, around 25 per cent female candidates, more than their male counterparts appeared for the exam this year.

As the boys outshined the girls, the overall pass percentage of the students this year has improved marginally. From 86.15 percent last year, a total of 86.30 per cent of the students have cleared the board exams this year. The total number of successful candidates was 7,65,252. The exam was conducted across 986 centres and 1,689 venues with 51,838 examiners. The results were declared in 80 days.

Continuing with the trend, the districts scored better than Kolkata with Kalimpong emerging at the top. Around 96.26 per cent of students passing the exam this year, Kalimpong topped the list followed by East Midnapore (95.49%). Kolkata ranked third in terms of percentage of students passing the exam. The list of rankers also remained elaborate with as many as 57 students in the top 10. About 1,18,411 candidates, becoming 12 per cent of the total, obtained marks over 60 per cent. While one candidate each ranked first and second, three students stood third. A total of 18 students bagged the tenth rank in the WBBSE exams this year.

Among the rank holders from Kolkata, Somdatta Samanta of Kamala Girls High School made it to the list. She secured the tenth rank by obtaining 684 clearing the exam with 97.71 per cent.

Chandrahud Sen from Cooch Behar Rambhola High School in Cooch Behar district in north Bengal topped the exam after scoring 693 marks with 99 per cent. Talking to the media, the best performer of this year’s WBBSE, said, “I am very happy with the result. I want to study science and become a doctor. I thank my parents and teachers for their support.”