Friday, May 26, 2006
Chennai: The Higher Secondary (HSC) Examination results declared recently show that students from urban areas have fared far better than rural students. About 89 per cent of the total number of students, who scored more than 1,100 upon 1,200 marks, are from urban Tamil Nadu.

In an exclusive analysis done for The Hindu, Jayaprakash Gandhi of Turning Point in Salem says there has been a significant fall in the number of students who have an average of over 60 percent in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry. In 2005, 1,32,448 students secured above 60 per cent aggregate. This year, only 1,14,093 candidates secured a 60 percent-plus average in the three subjects, whose scores are considered for engineering admissions.


Similarly, the number of students who obtained an average greater than 60 per cent in Physics, Chemistry and Biology (considered for medical admission) has also come down from 1,50, 680 to 1,37,184 this year. The decrease in number holds good for a 55 percent average in Physics, Chemistry and Biology (considered for engineering admission).

The analysis shows that urban students with their access to institutions with better infrastructure are able to score comfortably higher than their rural counterparts.

There is also a significant drop in the total number of students who scored above 1,100. This year 6,377 students scored in the range as compared to 15, 562 last year. From about eight educational districts from rural Tamil Nadu, only five students scored more than 1,100.

In contrast, Chennai city (comprising four educational districts) has nearly 1, 280 scoring above 1,100.

Namakkal, which has three residential schools, stands first with 692 students of Science stream scored above 1,100.

Mr. Gandhi says the figures clearly show that even if the entrance examinations are scrapped, rural students will hardly get any benefit, as only 10 - 15 per cent of them will be really able to get into high end professional institutions or medical colleges.