CHANDIGARH: Punjab has recorded an overall pass percentage of 94.52 per cent in the Class 10 board exams, with rural students outperforming their urban counterparts in this year’s results, according to data released by the state education department.A total of 2,69,505 students appeared for the examinations out of which 2,54,744 passed the examination. The results indicate strong overall academic performance across the state.Rural versus urban performanceRural areas recorded a pass ratio of 95.35 per cent, with 1,66,830 out of 1,74,958 students passing. In comparison, urban areas recorded a pass ratio of 92.98 percent, where 87,914 students cleared the exam out of 94,547 candidates. Officials noted that this marks a change in performance trends from previous years, where urban centers typically led.Toppers of PunjabHarleen Sharma of Saraswati Senior Secondary School, Jeetu (Faridkot) topped the state with 646 marks out of 650 (99.38%). The second position was jointly bagged by Mani Mahesh Sharma of Government Senior Secondary School, Chinnauli Busi (Rupnagar) and Riya Rani of Sriguru Harkrishna Public School, Chief Khalsa Dewan, Model Town (Hoshiarpur), both securing 645 marks out of 650 (99.23%).Official statements and trendsPunjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said the rural-urban gap is now more than 2.3 percent. He described the results as reflecting a broader shift in academic performance patterns across the state. The Department of Education attributed the overall improvement to ongoing system reforms, including infrastructure development in public schools, increased access to digital learning, and regular teacher training programs.Officials also said that continuous monitoring and educational support measures introduced in previous academic cycles have contributed to better results, especially in rural districts.
