The reason: The number of students scoring high percentage and star marks (above 80 per cent) has increased.

This year, the pass percentage in the Madhyamik results saw a dip of two per cent but it has also seen a significant jump in the number of students scoring a very high percentage. Schools like Nava Nalanda have seen 723 of its 760 students securing first division marks. In South Point High School, 571 students of the total 773 got star marks.

With such high marks, most of the students have preferred to take up science stream. But since the number of vacancies in the science stream remains same as last year, the admission to this preferred course would be tough.

“We have 150 vacancies in the science stream and within a few hours all the students have been admitted,” said Gopal Chand Nandi, the principal of Jodhpur Park Boys School. This in spite that the school had kept a higher admission criteria — 720 marks in aggregate and 270 in science subjects. Moreover, the candidate should have not more than 80 in each subject, Nandi added.