High percentages scored by the majority of students in CBSE exams have been a talking point for the last couple of years. Common perception is that the new-age students are more intelligent and work harder. But experts beg to differ. They are of the view that students judiciously guided by the coaching centers spread all over the country have found techniques to score more and thus the 90% figures may infact be misleading about the actual intelligence of students.

Teachers also think that reforms in the CBSE exam system has resulted in lenient marking and that is why average students are scoring 90% who otherwise would have scored somewhere between 75% and 85%. It is true that the new system does not effectively evaluate the knowledge of students.

The number of students scoring beyond 90% has been steadily going up. 2011 results show that 21,665 students scored 90% out of which 2,097 scored 95% and more. The worrying part is not the higher percentages but the high volume of students applying for colleges and not getting admission into their favorite college and course. The number of universities at present is 350 but by 2015 India will need approximately 1,500. Getting into a reputed institution seems like an endless struggle.