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UP Board 2025 exams: Biology pips maths, remains preferred choice of science students
Of 26,90,845 candidates registered for intermediate examination, UP Board officials note that 6,74,717 (more than 62%) have opted for the science stream
A scrutiny of subject choices among intermediate students of UP Board reveals a marked preference for biology. In the 2025 board examinations which started on February 24, around thrice the number of students opted for biology compared to mathematics at Class 12 level.
Of 26,90,845 candidates registered for intermediate examination, UP Board officials note that 6,74,717 (more than 62%) have opted for the science stream. Out of them, 12,49,460 students have chosen biology while just 4,25,257 students have opted for mathematics.
“Choosing biology is a trend that has been continuing in the recent past,” UP Board officials say. Last year, out of the total 25,60,882 candidates registered for the intermediate examination, more than 15.50 lakh had opted for the science stream. Of them, 1,134,114 students had taken biology while 4,50,097 had chosen mathematics.
Similarly, in 2023, 10,84,932 students chose biology, while only 4,99,484 opted for mathematics, according to UP Board data. In the 2021 board exam, 4,56,671 students registered for mathematics, while 9,27,929 chose biology.
Dharmendra Kumar Singh, principal of Government Inter College, Prayagraj, attributed the increasing preference for biology to the esteemed status of the medical profession in society. He noted a particularly strong inclination among girl students towards opting for biology.
In Class 12 arts stream, sociology emerges as the most sought-after subject, with 5,00,500 candidates opting for it. The following closely are civics with 4,14,015 students, geography with 3,58,799, home science with 2,67,443, economics with 2,53,203 and Sanskrit with 93,714 students. Additionally, a total of 60,201 students have registered in the commerce stream.
However, there appears to be minimal interest in vocational subjects offered by the UP Board at the intermediate level, with many subjects having fewer than 50 students. For instance, there are only 6 students in secretariat and typing (English), 15 in embroidery, 14 in beekeeping and 26 in dairy technology. The enrolment for dance is also just 5.
