No GCC schools underperformed, an achievement, says JC education

CHENNAI: The higher secondary schools run by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) have secured a pass percentage of 88.12 in the 2024 - 2025 Class 12 board exams, which is an increase of 1% from the previous academic year. Once again, girl students top the categories.

According to the data released by the School Education Department, 35 higher secondary schools are running under the local body within Chennai.

Totally, 5,387 Class 12 students in these schools appeared for the public exams this year. Of which, 4,747 students passed. Girls secured a pass percentage of 91.46 and boys secured 83.70%.

A local body official said that 54 students secured a centum in various subjects. Computer Application tops the list of subjects in which 26 students secured centum. Computer Science follows a close second with 19 students scoring centum.

Likewise, 65 students got top marks scoring between 551 and 600. In this list too, 53 girls and 12 boys scored top marks.

“In fact, no school functioning under the GCC has secured below 65 in the pass percentage, which is a huge achievement. The entire credit goes to the Corporation education department for this huge success,” said J Vijaya Rani, joint commissioner (education), GCC.

She explained to DT Next about the progress made by the students in city corporation school. “Without the hard work of officials and teaching staff we couldn’t have achieved this,” she smiled. “We had formed a panel of senior teachers to prepare a centralised model question papers and conducted quarterly and half-yearly model exams to train students to enhance their performance in exams. That has yielded these results.”

Officials also narrowed down each school that was struggling to perform in some areas and deployed senior teachers from other schools to maximise results. “In the beginning of the academic year, teachers narrowed down the slow learners and conducted special classes for them in the morning and evening. Well-performing students also tagged along to motivate slow learners to achieve good marks,” explained the JC. “Now our next goal is to enable students, who failed in the board exams, to pass in the upcoming supplementary exam.”

Out of 35 schools runs by the GCC, the top two ranks go to Corporation schools for girls – one in Nungambakkam with a centum in pass percentage, followed by another in Kodambakkam with 98.61% pass, and the third one is a co-ed school in West Saidapet with 97.36 percentage.

G Girija, headmaster of Corporation Girls Higher Secondary School, Nungambakkam, which secured centum in pass percentage, pointed out, “Special classes played a vital role for this outstanding result. We’ve been continuously delivering this effort, as our school secured a centum in pass percentage during last academic year also.”

However, the Corporation Boys Higher Secondary School, Nungambakkam, dropped to the bottom of the list of pass percentage by securing 65% of pass results.

School topper a daily wager’s daughter

Overcoming all obstacles was R Jayashri, the daughter of a daily wager, who scored top marks – 572 out of 600 – in the Corporation Girls Higher Secondary School in Nungambakkam. “I’ve been studying here since Class 2. When I joined this school, I was a slow learner. But the teachings here made me achieve good marks. Teachers played a vital role in my achievement, along with my family, who supported me through everything,” smiled Jayashri. “I want to a pursue a career in the civil services or the Railways.”

Inmates of TN Prisons secure 92.31 pass rate

The Tamil Nadu Prisons and Correctional Services Department announced a remarkable 92.31 pass percentage for incarcerated students in the 2024-2025 Class 12 State board exams.

Out of 130 inmates who appeared for the exams, including 2 women, 120 successfully cleared the tests. Meenakshi Sundaram (524/600) from Palayamkottai Central Prison secured first rank, followed by Vaithilingam (517) and Kanivellavan (511) from Salem Central Prison.

The School Education Department facilitated exams within prison facilities to ensure accessibility. Both women inmates cleared the exams. The Prisons department’s focus on literacy and vocational training is aimed at transforming lives. Skill development courses in trades like carpentry, tailoring, and IT in jails prepare inmates for post-release employment.