Not only was the pass percentage in this year’s II Pre University (PU) results the highest yet, but the top percentages in all the streams are also higher than last year’s.
While the top scorer in arts — Pradeep Garebal from Vijaymahantesh PU College, Hunagund taluk, Bagalkot district — scored 95.67 per cent (last year’s top scorer had 94.83 per cent), the science topper scored a whopping 99 per cent (last year’s top score was 98.83 per cent). This year, South Canara education district aced with toppers in two streams — science and commerce — with B. Suraj Hegde, a student of Alva’s P.U. College, Moodbidri, in Mangalore district, scoring 98.8 per cent. Bangalore’s A.N. Aishwarya shares the commerce top score (last year it was 98.5 per cent).
K. Akshay Kamath, a student of Canara Pre-University College, Mangalore, stood first in science with a score of 594 out of 600. Speaking to The Hindu , he said: “I was actually expecting more than 580. But 590 was out of the blue!”
He had written everything, the valuation last year had not been lenient, which is why he had expected to lose some marks.
He wishes to study engineering and take up electronics and communication at the National Institute of Technology, Karnataka, Surathkal. Regular studies helped him to score the number, he said. Akshay said he had no hobby as he had dedicated the year to studies.
K. Jayashree Kamath, his mother, said she supported him and never made him feel he was under pressure. Meanwhile, Prabha Kamath, Principal, Canara P.U. College, said: “He scored 100 in all five subjects except English, in which he got 94. He is good. He is studious."
Commerce topper Suraj said he wants to pursue CA so he can work to influence economic policies that will help the nation.
“That is the backbone for our economic development,” he said, speaking over phone from Borkatte, a village in Karkala taluk of Udupi district.
Suraj, who scored 593 out of 600, chose to study in a college located almost 25 km away from his village as that was where he got to study what he liked.
“I wanted maths, which was not available in Bhuvanendra College (Karkala),” he said.
He spent two hours each day studying believing that it is not important to study through the day. After I PUC, he took up classes for common proficiency test, an entrance exam for those who want to do CA. Any time he had a break from the classes, he would take to sports, which helped him stay refreshed.
Acknowledging the support lent to him by his teachers and parents, he said he would also like to teach so that he can help the younger generation.
