CBSE exams in winter behind drop in Ladakh Class 10, 12 pass percentages, say officials

“We’re hoping for the best this year,” a government school principal in Kargil had said a few weeks ahead of the CBSE Board exams.

Under JKBOSE, the average Class 12 pass percentage for the two districts of Leh and Kargil, which constitute Ladakh, ranged from 53% in 2017 to 81% in 2023. The average pass percentage over the years from 2017 to 2023 was 65%, shows JKBOSE data.

The Class 10 CBSE pass percentage was better than that of Class 12 — 53% in 2024 and 73% in 2025, going by the response in Parliament. The average Class 10 pass percentage from 2017 to 2023 was 70%, according to data from JKBOSE. This ranged from 47% in 2017 to 86% in 2023.

According to teachers and officials in the administration, the problem lay both in the changed exam pattern that came with the switch in Boards and timing of the exams.

While under the J&K Board, Board exams in Ladakh were held in November, CBSE conducts Board exams across the country at the start of February. For Ladakh, this coincides with the region’s severe winter temperatures. On February 17, for instance, the day of the CBSE Class 10 math exam, India Meteorological Department data showed that the maximum temperature was in single digits across most stations in Ladakh, the lowest being 0.5 degrees Celsius in Drass. Minimum temperatures were sub-zero at most stations, with Padum in Kargil district recording the lowest figure of -20.6 degrees Celsius.

“The fundamental challenge here is the weather. In February, when our students appear for the Board exams, the temperature can be as low as -22 or -24 degrees Celsius at some exam centres. It is difficult for them to appear for an exam in this weather. But CBSE has this academic cycle. Under the J&K Board, Ladakh had Board exams in November. In the coldest months, beginning December, students would have a winter break,” said an official in the administration.

Under the JKBOSE system of a ‘winter’ and ‘summer’ zone for the exams, Board exams in the winter zone, comprising parts of Kashmir and Ladakh, would wrap up in November. The summer zone, which includes parts of Jammu, has exams in February-March.

Another official in the administration, in Kargil, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “There are challenges in conducting exams in February-March, particularly in terms of snowfall in Kargil district. Last year, we had a problem in taking the examination material from Kargil to exam centres 60 km ahead. There were a few issues with transportation. But we have conducted the CBSE exam smoothly for two years despite the challenges.”

Besides the weather, say officials, the challenge lay in how the two Boards followed very different exam patterns. “In the J&K Board exam, students could memorise answers, and clear their papers. CBSE includes competency-based questions, where understanding is important. We have not caught up with this so far. To reduce this gap, we have started working with the lower classes, and are focusing on foundational learning. It could take us a few years to catch up with the rest of the country,” the official in Kargil said.

For Class 12, among all States/UTs, Ladakh’s pass percentage was the lowest in 2025. For Class 10 last year, Ladakh had the second lowest pass percentage after Arunachal Pradesh. In both Class 10 and 12, most States/UTs record pass percentages of over 80%.

The official in Kargil said remedial classes are being conducted in the winter months ahead of the exam for Class 10 and 12 students. “Winter vacation begins in December. To fill the gap between the end of the session and the Board exam, and to help students, we have remedial classes. These are residential coaching sessions in hostels and classrooms, and Samagra Shiksha funds are used to arrange for heating,” he said.

The official in the administration said a request for a different examination calendar was communicated to the CBSE.

This year, CBSE is offering two sets of Board exams for Class 10. While the first set of papers is mandatory for the rest of the country, the Board has given snowbound regions the option of only taking the second set of papers scheduled to be held in May.

The official in the administration said they were in a dilemma over whether students should only write the second set of papers, since taking up the CBSE offer would have denied students in the UT the opportunity of appearing for improvement a second time — an option that would be available to students in other parts of the country. CBSE officials said Ladakh has decided to take the first set of papers.

A senior official in the CBSE said: “This is not just Ladakh’s problem; it’s a problem in all winter-bound schools. We conduct exams at the same time across the country. We have given the option this time… to opt for the second Board exam. But Ladakh said they didn’t want this exemption. Let’s see what we are able to come up with in the future.”

Mohmad Haneefa, Independent MP in the Lok Sabha, representing Ladakh, had raised a question in the Lower House in December last year on the “sharp decline in the pass percentage” in Ladakh and “the factors responsible for this dismal performance”.

Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary responded: “CBSE exam pattern and competency-based question style differ significantly from the earlier board…JKBOSE, causing initial difficulty for many students and teachers. Further, Ladakh’s short academic year and harsh winters limit learning continuity.”

Haneefa told The Indian Express: “Abruptly, government schools in Ladakh were switched to CBSE, and results have seen a big fall. In winter, schools need to be shut for two-three months. Now, after a winter vacation, students need to write the exams. This break is difficult.”

Haneefa met the CBSE chairman in January and raised the request that exams in Ladakh be held in October-November.

The UT administration did not respond to an official request for comment. Questions sent to the Secretary of School Education in Ladakh did not elicit a response.