Bhubaneswar: The Council of Higher Secondary Education on Saturday published results of Plus Two arts and commerce.

The pass percentage has increased in commerce (74.91), while that for arts (68.79) has gone down. The corresponding percentage last year was 71.43 and 70.17 per cent.

The number of students scoring first division marks was also higher compared to last year. While 19,993 students secured first division in arts compared to 19,024 last year, as many as 1,12,143 scored third division - a decline from last year's 1,25,562. In commerce, around 4,006 students were placed in first division, up from 3,860, while 12,470 got third division marks, down from 13,247 last year. The pass percentage in vocational streams is 52.61 - down from 61.22.

High cut-off marks for entry into top colleges of the state and the country as a whole have sparked panic among students of the state board of not getting admission into their preferred institutes. Educators feel that the rise in cut-off marks in premier colleges will increase with the average marks secured by students rising considerably. "The cut-off starts from 90 per cent in premier colleges, but this year the number of high-scoring students has increased significantly, so there is going to be tough competition for seats. The cut-off is also likely to go up," said academic Anish Kumar.

Anurag Biswal, a student from Cuttack who secured 90 per cent in science, believes students of the state boards are at a disadvantage compared to those, who write their Plus Two examinations from the ISC or the CBSE. The likelihood of those students scoring higher marks than students of the state board are higher, and they are well-placed to secure admission into Plus Three colleges compared to them, he said.

The results are available on the council's official websites - www.chseodishanic.in and www.orissaresults.nic.in.

"This year's results were delayed because of manual entry of marks. The agitation of block grant teachers added to their woes. We will give ample time to students to apply to colleges," said school and mass education minister Badri Narayan Patra while declaring the results.

"We were worried about the results. All major colleges across the country have started the admission process and the deadline for most has arrived," said Archana Nanda, who scored 71 per cent in arts.

The first merit list for selection of candidates will be published on June 23. Admissions for selected candidates will take place between June 25 and 28. Similarly, the second phase selection list will be declared on July 3 and admission will take place between July 4 and 6. Spot selection will be held against vacant seats between July 15 and 17. Classes in junior colleges will begin from July 19.

In another development, as many as 35,440 students, who have cleared the annual matriculation examination, will be awarded in the Chief Minister's Merit Scholarship programme.

District collectors-headed committee will identify the students for the scholarship. The funds will be provided to the district education officer by July 15. The district education officer will transfer it to the eligible students' bank accounts.