Latur’s dismal result puzzles HSC board, professors

Latur’s performance in the Higher Secondary Certificate exams this year shocked the academic fraternity. Known for consistently producing toppers with its famous ‘Latur pattern’, the division had a pass percentage of just 44 this year.

Latur’s performance in the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exams this year shocked the academic fraternity. Known for consistently producing toppers with its famous ‘Latur pattern’, the division had a pass percentage of just 44 this year.

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The pattern involves students dedicating two years to their colleges, where they live, have a controlled diet, have specific study regimens and yoga classes.

Two years ago, Latur’s Kalyani Joshi scored 99 per cent, the highest HSC score ever. Last year, the division had a pass percentage of 83.51. So good was the study pattern, several students from Mumbai would move to Latur so that they could fare better in the HSC exams.

“Latur’s result is astonishing,” said Vasant Kalpande, former member of the HSC board. “The board should analyse what went wrong.” Of the 76,302 students who appeared for the exam from Latur, only 36,314 passed.

The major reason could be stricter vigilance. Flying squads found several cases of mass copying this year.

“It’s difficult to say why Latur’s results are below average,” said board chairperson Vijaysheela Sardesai.

Principals can’t explain it either. “The new syllabus with its internal grading component is far more student-friendly. The papers were not unusually difficult, so this drop is unusual,” said Pradeep Kulkarni, principal, D.G. Ruparel College.