The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) declared the Class 12 results on Wednesday, revealing that girls have once again outperformed boys. Nationally, girls recorded a pass percentage of 88.86%, while boys achieved 82.13%, resulting in a gender gap of 6.73 percentage points. This gap has widened from 5.94 percentage points last year, when girls posted 91.64% and boys 85.70%.
Maharashtra Trends
In Maharashtra, the trend remained consistent. Girls in the state achieved a pass percentage of 88.66%, compared to 85.65% for boys, a gap of three percentage points. Out of 18,405 registered girls, 18,342 appeared for the examination, and 16,262 passed. Among boys, 21,598 were registered, 21,506 appeared, and 18,420 passed.
Regional Performance
The gender gap was evident across all regions. In the Pune region, which encompasses all CBSE schools in Maharashtra, girls recorded 88.95% against 85.92% for boys. The Trivandrum region, which topped the national regional chart, saw girls at 97.22% and boys at 93.91%. Even in the bottom-ranked Prayagraj region, girls at 78.69% outpaced boys at 68.02%, a gap of more than 10 percentage points.
Institution Types
The pattern repeated across institution types. In Kendriya Vidyalayas, girls recorded a higher pass percentage than boys. In independent schools, which account for the bulk of CBSE affiliates, the gender gap was similarly pronounced. Among the six institution categories tracked by CBSE, girls outperformed boys in every single one. Among foreign schools, girls posted 92.23% against 88.69% for boys. Of the 12,292 girls registered from foreign schools, 11,321 passed. Among boys, 11,755 were registered and 10,407 passed.
Transgender Candidates
All three transgender candidates who appeared for the examination cleared it, recording a 100% pass percentage.
Year-on-Year Comparison
Both genders recorded a dip compared with last year. Boys fell by 3.57 percentage points, while girls dropped by 2.78 percentage points, meaning boys absorbed a steeper decline.
