Kolkata: A total of 93.72 per cent of the 6,45,832 candidates cleared the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) third semester examinations, the results of which were declared on Friday, officials said.

Council president Chiranjib Bhattacharya said the semester-format examination at the Plus-II level, introduced in line with the state education policy, was the first such initiative by any state board in India.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Education Minister Bratya Basu congratulated successful candidates and encouraged others to work harder for the next semester.

South 24 Parganas topped the district list with a pass percentage of 96.72. Sixty-nine students, including three girls, secured ranks within the top ten. Aditya Narayan Jana and Pritam Ballav from Purulia Ramakrishna Mission Vidyapith jointly topped the exam, scoring 98.97 per cent each.

Ten students shared the second rank with 98.95 per cent marks, while Soham Bhowmick stood third with 98.92 per cent. Dipanwita Paul of Daulatpur High School topped among girls with 98.42 per cent, sharing the fourth rank with nine others.

The exams were held from September 8 to 22, and results were published within 39 days. The fourth semester exams are scheduled for February 2026.

Bhattacharya said OMR sheets were used for the first time, and candidates wrote papers in 66 subjects across four language mediums. Strict security measures were implemented, and only three students were disqualified for unfair practices.

Basu said the 93.72 per cent pass rate was the highest since 2011, expressing confidence that students would “carry Bengal's culture and heritage forward with distinction.”