SSC pass rate falls to 62.25 percent, down on last year

Results of the 2026 SSC and equivalent examinations, held under 11 education boards nationwide, were released at 10am on Monday. Ministry of Education figures show that 1,138,877 of the 1,829,485 candidates passed. The average pass rate stands at 62.25 percent, with 116,676 students earning a GPA-5.

The published results show a marked fall on last year. The downward trend appears across all three streams — general, technical and madrasa.

General boards record a lower pass rate

The nine general education boards recorded an average pass rate of 64.05 percent this year, against 68.04 percent last year — a fall of 3.99 percentage points in twelve months.

Those involved in education say the results reopen the question of students' overall academic preparation and of teaching quality. There is renewed emphasis on analysing results subject by subject to establish where the weaknesses lie.

Technical and madrasa boards

Among the equivalent examinations, the technical education board recorded a pass rate of 58.20 percent. The madrasa education board recorded 55.49 percent.

Both are consistent with the national trend. Those close to the process say further study is needed into learning gaps across the different streams and into how effectively students are being assessed.

Quality of education cannot be judged by the pass rate alone; what students actually learn matters just as much, education analysts said.

How the examinations were held

This year's SSC and equivalent examinations began on 21 April, with written papers running until 20 May. Practical examinations followed between 7 and 14 June.

Around 1,857,000 students sat the examinations under the country's 11 education boards. Scripts were marked and results compiled after the examinations closed, and all boards published together.

Students could check their results online and through the other designated channels as soon as they were released. Crowds of students and parents gathered at schools and colleges across the country.

Reaction, and what follows

Many students and families celebrated, particularly those who earned a GPA-5 or met the grades they had hoped for. Others were left disappointed, having fallen short.

Education specialists say examination results are an important indicator of the system's health but not the only one. They pointed to several priorities for improving quality:

• Identifying weaknesses subject by subject

• Assessing what students are learning on a regular basis

• Improving how subjects are taught

• Ensuring additional support for students who have fallen behind

Taken together, this year's results offer an important picture of where the country's education system stands. The fall in the pass rate gives policymakers, teachers and parents something to reconsider. Those involved argue that the goal should be measured by what students actually learn and can do, rather than by examination results alone.