Class X results: Pudukkottai tops state; two other central districts in top 5

Trichy: Three districts from central Tamil Nadu figured among the top five in the state in the Class X board examination results, with Pudukkottai emerging at the top with a pass percentage of 97.57.The achievement marked a major turnaround for Pudukkottai district, which had ranked 25th in the state last year. District chief educational officer K Shanmugam said the poor performance in the previous academic year prompted officials and teachers to intensify efforts to improve the results. "Last year's results were very unsatisfactory, but that triggered a positive energy and effort within us to put everything in place. With constant guidance from the collector, we identified 15 schools that had lagged behind and conducted special classes for students. In some cases, with parents' permission, classes were held even until 8pm. Teachers were also given training, and headmasters were instructed to closely monitor the progress to ensure better results," Shanmugam told TOI. He added that the efforts were reflected also in the Class XII examinations, where the district recorded an improved performance this year.Of the 335 schools in the district, 174 secured a 100% pass result, including 94 govt schools. A total of 11,215 boys and 11,122 girls appeared for the examinations. Among them, 10,826 boys and 10,986 girls passed. Former DMK minister and current Alangudi MLA Siva V Meyyanathan congratulated CEO Shanmugam and the education department staff for the achievement.Thanjavur district also registered a sharp improvement, climbing from 12th place last year to third place this year with a pass percentage of 97.41, behind Sivaganga, which secured the second position. Trichy improved its ranking from fifth to fourth place this year.However, a few other central districts witnessed a decline in rankings. Perambalur slipped from 17th to 18th place, while Ariyalur dropped sharply from eighth to 37th place. Mayiladuthurai fell from 23rd to 33rd place, and Karur moved from 10th to 30th. Nagapattinam, however, improved slightly, moving up from 31st to 27th place.