UAE pupils score top results in Indian curriculum ICSE and ISC exams

Dubai schools have reported a 100 per cent pass rate in both examinations

Diya Maria Thomas and Praneshwar Eswaran celebrate by sharing laddoos, a tradition at Gems Modern Academy.

UAE pupils have scored top results in the Indian School Certificate examinations, with many scoring a perfect 100 per cent in some subjects.

Hundreds of pupils in the UAE received the results of their grade 10 ICSE and grade 12 ISC board exams on Monday.

The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations has not published names of top-performing pupils, unlike in previous years, to deter unhealthy competition.

Top class performance

Nargish Khambatta, principal of Gems Modern Academy in Dubai, said all 147 pupils who sat the ISC exams had passed.

The cohort’s average score was 89.5 per cent, up by 1.3 per cent compared to last year, while the school’s best-performing pupil Diya Thomas scored 99.25 per cent.

At the school, 67.1 per cent of pupils scored 90 per cent and above in the grade 12 ISC exams.

“After the pandemic, this is the best set of results in the last three years,” said Ms Khambatta.

“We realised that some of our students require something different so we offered (new subject) mass media and pupils got an average of 97 per cent in the subject.

All 285 pupils at the school passed ICSE grade 10 exams with an average score of 88.6 per cent.

Diya Maria Thomas, 17, a pupil at Gems Modern Academy scored an average of 99.25 per cent in her ISC exams and will go to Durham University to study next year.

Ms Thomas scored 99 in psychology, 95 in political science, 100 in business studies, 100 in mass media and communication 100 and 98 in English.

“I really did not know that I would be the school topper. I am very, very happy … overjoyed,” said Ms Thomas.

“Our teachers did help us with the paper format, they did tell us how to approach the exam and how to write the answers. We had a lot of mock tests.”

Best in class

She advised pupils to practice multiple choice questions and ensured they understood the basics well so that they could answer any tricky questions in the exam.

Praneshwar Eswaran, 17, scored an average of 98.5 per cent in the ISC exams and said he was surprised and happy.

The pupil scored 97 in physics, 96 in chemistry, 98 in mathematics, 99 in English and 100 in biology.

He will be pursuing medicine at Manchester University in September.

He needed a score of 95 in every subject to meet the conditions of his offer.

“That's what I was really scared of before getting the results,” said Mr Eswaran.

“I wasn't too confident about the results. Because when I wrote the exam, I didn't have a very good feeling about it.

“I was really happy when I first saw my scores because I could meet the condition of the university and that was my main target.”

The pupil also composes music and has released several singles on Spotify.

Parv Wadhwa, 18, a pupil at Ambassador School in Dubai, scored 95 in commerce, 93 in accountancy, 91 in Economics, 100 in psychology and 96 in English.

“The pride I saw in my parents' eyes when I opened my result page was the best thing for me,” said Mr Wadhwa.

“I'm going to be studying accountancy and finance at the University of Birmingham.

“I'm happy … My efforts have paid off … all those sleepless nights and constant revisions.

“I started from the very beginning, I didn't want to leave anything until the very end. I was very thorough from the start.

“Whatever was taught in the class, I came home and revised it once.”

At Ambassador School in Dubai, all 69 ICSE students and 40 ISC students passed.

“The performance of our pupils once again confirms our faith in the abilities and diligence of these young boys and girls who, when guided effectively, leave no stone unturned to be at their best,” said school principal Sheela Menon.

“We are very proud, especially of the achievement of our students of determination who have done exceptionally well despite the challenges.”

The top performing grade 12 pupil Anushka Vastawat, scored 96.75 per cent with 100 in Physics and Computer Science, followed closely by Aashvi Shah and Parv Wadhwa with an average of 96 per cent.

“For grade 12, our overall average has gone up to 88 per cent almost three points up since last year,” said Ms Menon.

She said they had a small cohort sitting for the exams, which meant they could focus more on each pupil’s abilities.