Nagpur: Pune regional division of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) recorded 96.99% pass percentage in the Class 10 Exam 1 results announced on Wednesday. The Pune division, which encompasses all of Maharashtra, climbed to the 7th position nationally, improving from 9th place last year. For Nagpur, the improved ranking is a morale booster, reflecting the growing emphasis on conceptual learning, academic discipline, and holistic development.A state-wise analysis shows that in Maharashtra, 1,27,123 students appeared for the examination (72,433 boys and 54,690 girls). The results reflected a high success rate, with 1,23,921 students (70,270 boys and 53,651 girls) clearing the exam. The results come as part of CBSE’s newly introduced dual-examination system aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP), under which Class 10 students now have the option to appear for two board exams. The first phase, conducted in Feb-March, serves as the primary examination, while the second is scheduled for May, offering students an opportunity to improve their scores.Southern regions once again dominated the national rankings. Trivandrum and Vijayawada jointly secured the top position with 99.79% pass rate, followed by Chennai at 99.58%. Bengaluru (98.91%) and Delhi West (97.45%) completed the top five, while Delhi East stood sixth with 97.33%, just ahead of Pune division.Pune’s rise to the 7th spot places it ahead of prominent regions such as Ahmedabad (96.61%) and Ludhiana (95.70%), underlining the strengthening academic ecosystem in Maharashtra’s CBSE schools. Further down the rankings, Ajmer (94.78%), Bhubaneswar (94.67%), and Gurugram (93.21%) delivered steady performances. Regions like Bhopal (92.48%), Panchkula (92.24%), and Lucknow (91.63%) also maintained solid pass percentages. At the lower end, Guwahati recorded 85.32%, followed by Ranchi (86.18%) and Noida (87.66%).This year also witnessed a historic early declaration of results. Traditionally announced in mid-May, the 2026 results were released nearly a month in advance on April 15 after CBSE evaluated approximately 1.6 crore answer sheets in record time.Overall performance across India saw a marginal improvement. In 2026, a total of 24,71,777 students appeared and 23,16,008 passed, taking the national pass percentage to 93.70% — a slight increase of 0.4% from last year’s 93.66%.With the second examination window approaching, students now have an added chance to enhance their scores. Meanwhile, the steady rise of the Pune region signals a promising trajectory for cities like Nagpur, as schools continue to raise academic benchmarks year after year.(Inputs by Soumya Dubey & Dewaki Moharil)
