Prayagraj: Students from smaller cities of Uttar Pradesh have once again secured higher positions, as demonstrated by the results of the 2026 UP Board Class X and XII examinations. Candidates from Sitapur and Barabanki districts have achieved outstanding success across both levels. Their consistent presence in the merit list highlights a clear transformation in the state's academic landscape, with smaller districts surpassing larger urban centres.
Class X (High School) Results
In the Class X examinations, the top rankers were Kashish Verma from Sitapur and Anshika Verma from Barabanki, both scoring 97.83%. The second position was secured by Aditi from Barabanki with 97.5%. The third rank, with 97.33%, was shared by Arpita from Sitapur, Rishabh Sahu from Jhansi, and Pari Verma from Barabanki. The fourth rank, with 97.17%, was achieved by candidates from Sitapur, Farrukhabad, Pratapgarh, Prayagraj, Ambedkar Nagar, and Mau. The fifth rank, with 97%, included students from Sitapur, Saharanpur, Etawah, Fatehpur, Ambedkar Nagar, and Gonda.
Class XII (Intermediate) Results
In the Class XII examinations, Sitapur led the way, with Shikha Verma securing the top rank with 97.6%. The second rank was shared by students from Bareilly and Barabanki, while the third rank also saw representation from these two districts. Candidates from Sitapur continued to occupy the fifth and sixth ranks as well. Barabanki also boasts multiple top performers across different ranks.
Overall Performance and Trend
Overall, Sitapur and Barabanki districts have not only matched but clearly outperformed students from major cities, consistently occupying top positions in both examinations. Along with support from other smaller districts such as Bareilly, Gonda, Etawah, and Ambedkar Nagar, this year's results reflect a significant decentralisation of academic excellence in the state. The 2026 results underline a powerful shift: smaller cities are no longer in the shadow of larger urban centres. This was evident as no student from major cities, including Prayagraj, could feature in the top 10 merit holders in Class XII, barring Amit Shahu from Kanpur at seventh place. In Class X, the trend was similar; among the top five merit holders, only one student from Prayagraj (Avika Sharma) secured the fourth position, while the rest were from smaller towns.
