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An estimated 93.72% of the total 6,45,832 candidates qualified in the West Bengal Higher Secondary Council Third Semester exams, the results of which were declared on Friday (October 31, 2025).
The exams in semester format at the plus two level by any State board were the first such exercise in the country in sync with the State Education Policy, Council president Chiranjib Bhattacharya told a press meet.
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The pass percentage is 93.81% for male students and 93.85% for females.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Education Minister Bratya Basu congratulated the successful students and asked those whose results were not so good to work harder.
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Among the total successful candidates, 41.16% got 60% or above marks while 75% secured 10.4% marks. South 24 Parganas topped among the districts in terms of successful candidates, with 96.72% of candidates in the district having passed.
A total of 69 students, including three girls, secured the top ten slots on the basis of the percentage marks.
Two candidates, Aditya Narayan Jana and Pritam Ballav, both from Purulia Ramakrishna Mission, shared the top rank both notching 98.97% marks.
Ballav and Jana said they had very little time of six months, for preparation for the third semester exams and thanked their teachers. While one of the two top rankers said he wanted to study pure science, the other one said he would love to study economics and statistics.
The Council president said the exams were held from September 8 to 22, and the results were published in 39 days. The fourth semester exams will be held in February 2026.
“OMR sheets were used for the first time and none among the candidates faced any difficulty,” Mr. Bhattacharya said.
Candidates wrote their papers in 66 subjects in four language mediums. While there were several security features in all the questions, the second set had been kept ready in case of any report of paper leak, but no second set had to be used, Mr. Bhattacharya insisted.
Three candidates had their exams cancelled for attempting unfair practices. This was the first higher secondary examination held under the newly introduced four-semester system, which divides the Class 12 course into two parts third and fourth semesters.
“For the first time in the country, the Higher Secondary Examination was held under the semester system. I express my gratitude to all those involved in properly organising this massive event. To those who could not achieve good results this time, I say, do not be disheartened; strive to achieve good results in the fourth semester,” the Chief Minister said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
The pass rate is 93.72%, which is the highest from 2011 until now, Education Minister Bratya Basu said.
“Keeping pace with the new era, I hope that you will leave your mark of achievement in every field of life and take Bengal’s culture and heritage further ahead,” he said in a statement to students.
Published – October 31, 2025 05:14 pm IST
