Academic Performance Report for Punjab and Haryana Secondary Education Boards

May 12, 2026, 14:50
AsiaSociety

Introduction

The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) and the Board of School Education, Haryana, have published their latest exam results. These reports provide details on student success and the differences in performance between various districts.

Main Body

The PSEB Class 10 results for the 2025–26 session show a state-wide pass rate of 94.52%, which is a small decrease compared to the 95.61% from last year. There is a surprising contrast in the Ludhiana district; although it had the most students on the merit list (38 students), it also had the lowest pass rate in the state at 89.2%. In contrast, border districts performed better, with Amritsar leading at 98.41%, followed by Ferozepur and Pathankot. Additionally, Mohali ranked 10th in the state with a 95.26% pass rate, featuring top students like Kanwalnain Kaur and Priya. In Haryana, the Class 12 results show a clear gap between genders. Female students achieved a pass rate of 87.97%, which is 6.52% higher than the male rate of 81.45%. Regarding different subjects, the science stream had the highest success rate at 90.08%, followed by commerce at 88.20% and arts at 82.20%. Geographically, Charkhi Dadri was the best-performing district, whereas Nuh had the lowest results. Furthermore, rural students performed slightly better than urban students by 1.03 percentage points.

Conclusion

The data emphasizes that female students are performing better in Haryana, while in Punjab, there is a sharp difference between top individual scores and overall pass rates in Ludhiana.

Learning

⚑ The 'Comparison' Leap: From Simple to Sophisticated

At A2, you usually say: "Punjab is good. Haryana is also good." To reach B2, you must connect these ideas using Contrast Connectors. This allows you to describe trends and data like a professional.

πŸ” The 'Pivot' Words

Look at how the article moves from one fact to an opposite fact. These words are your bridge to B2:

  1. "Although" β†’\rightarrow used to show a surprise. Example: "Although Ludhiana had the most top students, its pass rate was the lowest." (A2 version: Ludhiana had top students, but the pass rate was low.)

  2. "In contrast" β†’\rightarrow used to switch focus to a completely different group. Example: "Border districts performed better. In contrast, Mohali ranked 10th."

  3. "Whereas" β†’\rightarrow used to compare two things in one sentence. Example: "Charkhi Dadri was the best, whereas Nuh had the lowest results."

πŸ› οΈ Level-Up Your Vocabulary

Stop using 'big difference' or 'small difference'. Use these B2 descriptors found in the text:

  • A sharp difference: A very big, sudden change.
  • A clear gap: An obvious difference between two groups (like male vs. female).
  • Slightly better: Just a little bit more. (Use this for small numbers like 1.03%).

πŸ’‘ Pro Tip for Fluency

When describing data, don't just list numbers. Use the [Connector] + [Trend] formula:

"While the science stream was the most successful, the arts stream lagged behind."

Vocabulary Learning

decrease (v.)
to reduce in size, amount, or degree
Example:The school saw a decrease in enrollment during the summer.
surprising (adj.)
causing astonishment or wonder
Example:The test results were surprisingly high.
contrast (n.)
the state of being different
Example:The contrast between the two districts was evident.
merit (n.)
the quality of being particularly good or worthy
Example:She earned a place on the merit list.
border (n.)
the boundary between two areas
Example:Students from border districts performed well.
ranked (v.)
to assign a position in a list
Example:Mohali was ranked tenth in the state.
gap (n.)
a difference or separation
Example:There is a gap between the pass rates of boys and girls.
gender (n.)
the state of being male or female
Example:The gap between genders was significant.
achieved (v.)
to successfully obtain or accomplish
Example:The students achieved a high pass rate.
higher (adj.)
greater in amount or degree
Example:The female pass rate was higher than the male rate.
success (n.)
the accomplishment of an aim
Example:The science stream had the highest success rate.
best-performing (adj.)
performing at the highest level
Example:Charkhi Dadri was the best-performing district.
slightly (adv.)
to a small degree
Example:Rural students performed slightly better than urban ones.
percentage (n.)
a proportion expressed as a part of 100
Example:The difference was 1.03 percentage points.
emphasizes (v.)
to give special importance to
Example:The data emphasizes the importance of education.
sharp (adj.)
intense or abrupt
Example:There was a sharp difference in scores.
difference (n.)
the state of being dissimilar
Example:The difference between the districts was clear.
individual (adj.)
single or separate
Example:Individual scores varied widely.
overall (adj.)
considering everything
Example:Overall, the pass rates improved.