Results of higher secondary examinations published on Tuesday presented a mixed bag in south Tamil Nadu. The most disappointing feature has been the fall of Virudhunagar district from its preeminent position as the topper in public examinations in the last 28 years, barring 2013-14. While a few districts managed to improve their performance marginally, a couple of them had a dip in pass percentage.
Virudhunagar, which topped the State with a pass percentage of 97.46 in 2014-15, managed to record 95.73 this year, thereby getting relegated to the third place. This year’s performance is slightly lower than its previous best of 96.1 per cent in 2013-14.
Theni climbed up the ladder from 13th position to seventh by recording a pass percentage of 95.11, against last year’s performance of 93.8. Sivaganga went up three notches, from 11th place to eighth, by scoring 95.07 per cent pass, against last year’s 94.17. But neighbouring Ramanathapuram lost a rank, from eighth to ninth, albeit improving its pass percentage from 94.66 in 2014-15 to 95.04 this year.
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Madurai, Dindigul, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari registered a marginal improvement in performance while Thoothukudi showed a decline.
However, it retained its tenth position by securing 95.47 per cent pass,
Tirunelveli, with 94.76 per cent, went up from 13th position to 10th position. Madurai, with a pass percentage of 93.19, improved its status from 16th to 15th rank.
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The average pass percentage of the region stood at 94.55, well above the State average of 91.41 per cent.
As was the case elsewhere, girls outperformed boys in south Tamil Nadu, though the region did not produce any State toppers this year. Centum scorers were more in commerce, accountancy, economics and mathematics. Students of government and corporation schools put up a better performance in the region.