Maharashtra nearly hits bull's-eye at CBSE 10th results

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) declared its Class X results on Saturday. As students logged in to the website to check their individual results, schools had a tough time accessing data of the overall performance, due to heavy traffic. It was only in the evening - when the cumulative data of schools began to reflect on the website - that the success stories shone through, with some students scoring more than 99 per cent.

Ashmita Jain of St Joseph High School in New Panvel, who scored 99.6 per cent, celebrates with her family

With the average pass percentage as high as 99.68 for Maharashtra, the results have brought smiles to many. A total of 43,471 students appeared for the examination, out of which 43,330 cleared the exam. As usual, girls did better.

A total of 17,593 girls appeared for the examination, out of which 17,554 cleared, recording a pass percentage of 99.78. Boys, on the other hand, recorded a pass percentage of 99.61.

Girls grab top ranks

Ashmita Jain: 99.6%
St. Joseph High School, New Panvel
For Jain, who was just four points away from bagging a 100 per cent score, studying is more than just passion. "Studying is my hobby. It is all that I did throughout this academic year," said Jain, who aspires to become a doctor. Interestingly, Jain dislikes social networking and does not even have an email address. "I do not find Facebook interesting. I would rather spend my time reading newspapers and magazines," she said.

Radhika Joshi: 99.4%
Shaikh Karamshi Kanji English School, Mulund
Even after scoring over 99 per cent, Joshi does not want to opt for the regular Science route. She says she'd rather pursue an MBA and wishes to join IIM. "I am not interested in engineering or medicine. I feel I am good at management," said Joshi. Unlike the raging trend among Class X students to join coaching classes, Joshi studied on her own. "What you can study on your own cannot be taught by anybody," she said.

Winning against all odds

Nimilika Puppala: 83.6%
Rajhans Vidyalaya
Puppala was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome when she was in primary school. But, with the help of her parents and school counsellor, she has done well all along. "I was expecting this score because I studied a lot. I will definitely be joining the Arts stream," said an excited Puppala, who enjoys writing stories in her down time. Puppala's father Chandramohan said, "Social skills have been an issue. But, the school has been very supportive."

Unnat Dave: 93.1%
Rajhans Vidyalaya
Dave suffers from cerebral palsy. "He can walk, but, because his knees are bent, he has a problem with balance. He has, however, been undergoing physiotherapy," his mother Dr Purvi Dave said. But, the condition has not been an obstacle for the young lad. "I was expecting 85 per cent; this score has really come as a surprise. I focused more on self-study," said Dave, who wants to pursue engineering, and will join the Science stream.