They are remarkable performers not just in the Class X board exams, but in the larger test called life.

Metro highlights four CBSE students whose marks tell only part of their stories — shaped as much by courage and conviction as by academic success. The results were announced on Wednesday.

Avishi Banerjee, 86.2%

Delhi Public School, Howrah

Avishi was in Class IX when she had to relearn how to write, this time with her left hand, after a stroke left the right side of her body paralysed.

In August 2023, she collapsed in the bathroom after returning from school. The stroke affected her speech, too.

“She was in the ICU of the Institute of Neurosciences for nine days. After that, recovery was slow and required physiotherapy. She had to be taught how to swallow food,” said her mother, Dipanwita Banerjee.

By October, during physiotherapy sessions, Avishi began practising writing with her left hand. Her parents chose to prioritise her recovery over school.

“She had to skip classes because she travels from Dankuni to Moulali two to three days a week for physiotherapy. The school has been very supportive. Clinically, she is fine, but she still needs support for her right leg,” her mother said.

After being bedridden for nearly six months, Avishi repeated Class IX.

She went on to score an outstanding 86.2% in the Class X board exams, scoring 91 in English, 85 in Hindi, 69 in science, 91 in social Science and 95 in artificial intelligence.

Om Ghosh, 85.6%

South Point High School

Om has lived with a congenital heart condition since infancy, undergoing two open-heart surgeries — one at the age of one-and-a-half and another when he was seven. Now 16, he is likely to need a third.

The condition, mesocardia, was detected when he was just 21 days old. “The doctor noticed a murmur in his heart,” said his mother, Sanchari Ghosh.

His oxygen saturation levels would fluctuate and drop to 60. Physical exertion is not an option. “If he runs, he gasps for breath. There are dietary restrictions too — his food has to be salt-free,” his mother said.

Om sat for his Class X board exams and scored 85.6%, with 96 in English, 87 in Bengali, 65 in maths, 85 in science and 95 in social science.

He finds joy in reading, particularly about historical figures. One of his favourites is Napoleon Bonaparte.

“When I study, I try to understand and enjoy what I am reading rather than memorise it. That helps me recall better during exams,” Om said.

Sourasmit Dutta, 95.2%

South Point High School

Sourasmit missed answering some questions in his board exams — not because he did not know the answers, but because he overlooked them.

Now 16, he was 12 when diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a group of rare eye diseases that affect the retina and impair vision. The first sign came when he walked into a movie hall and suddenly couldn’t find his way.

“He has about 20% vision now, and it is tunnel vision. He cannot see the peripheries,” said his mother, Susmita Hazra.

If he drops his pen under a bench, his friends have to retrieve it for him. “I take time to find things if they fall. I use a torch when travelling after sundown. I also overlook questions in exam papers, which happened during the boards as well,” Sourasmit said.

But he chose not to use a scribe. He scored a stellar 95.2%, with 93 in English, 99 in Bengali and maths, 94 in science and 91 in social science.

Sourasmit has opted for physics, chemistry, maths and biology for Plus II. “I want to eventually pursue physics,” he said.

Trinath Das, 86.2%

BDM International

Trinath had to undergo three spinal surgeries within a span of one year and six months.

The 17-year-old was diagnosed with neurofibroma, a type of peripheral nerve tumour that forms a soft bump on or under the skin, in February 2023. “He could barely walk 10 steps and would fall. What followed was a series of tests. He underwent the first surgery in February, and two more followed,” said Trinath’s grandfather, Krishnendu Guha.

Trinath has three implants for cervical kyphosis, a condition in which the cervical spine is straight or curves towards the front instead of the back.

For nearly a year, Trinath was bedridden. “I had to drop a year because I could not get up. Gradually, I started recovering and got a hold of myself,” he said.

The results are now visible. Trinath scored 86.2%, with 92 in English and AI, 85 in Bengali, 79 in maths and 83 in science.

“I have been advised not to bend my neck for long periods, either while writing or reading. I have to be careful, and even after 15 minutes of writing, my neck starts hurting,” he said.