Over the past decade, the CBSE Class 12 results have seen a significant shift. While the number of students appearing for the exam has steadily increased, as expected over a 10-year period, the rise in high scorers has been far more pronounced. According to CBSE data, in 2015, a total of 9,62,122 candidates appeared for the Class 12 examination, of whom 7,162 scored 95 per cent or above. Fast forward to last year, the number of candidates rose to 16,92,794. During the same period, the number of students scoring above 95 per cent surged more sharply, reaching 24,867. This marks a 76 per cent increase in the number of candidates over the decade. In contrast, the number of high scorers has risen by nearly 247 per cent. The rise in top scores unambiguously stands out compared to the overall growth in participation of students. Students scoring above 95 per cent surged by 247 per cent (Source: CBSE data. Image upscaled with AI) This is not a new trend. Even before 2015, there were signs of mark inflation.…