A boarding school run by monks where students have no access to mobile phones and TV sets has created a record of sorts in the West Bengal Higher Secondary examinations with 19 students coming in the top 10 list.
Nine students of the Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya, Narendrapur, bagged the first seven positions. With 99.2%, Billashib Basu Mullick, topped the list.
His classmate Sk Manirul Mandal (98.2%) grabbed the second spot while another student from the same school Mrinmoy Roy (97.8%) secured the third position.
Another two students each from the school have earned their places in the fourth and fifth ranks, while one each have made it to the sixth and seventh ranks.
In the ninth and tenth positions were five students each from the school.
"Altogether 19 students have made it from our school into the top 10 list. This is a record," school headmaster Swami Vedapurushananda said.
When asked about the secret behind the astounding success he said theirs is a boarding school where there is no outside influence on students.
"We are able to mould them since childhood. They do not have any outside influence. We don't allow them access to mobiles or TVs. But we have meditation sessions, cultural and sports programmes for a balanced life. We give stress on discipline," he said.
The boy's school in Narendrapur is run on the ideals of the 19th century philosopher-saint Swami Vivekananda and his guru Swami Ramakrishna Paramahansa.
"The hostel is like a second home for them. The environment is homely. Prayers are a part of the daily routine of any student here," the headmaster said.
In the HS examinations, the results of which were announced today, altogether around 6.62 lakh students had appeared, out of which 82.3% cleared it compared to 78% last year. 82.96 % boys passed in the exam compared to 81.80 % female candidates.
In the merit list, besides Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya, Arambagh School and Jadavpur Vidyapith made it to the top.
East Midnapore ranked first among the other districts, only to be followed by West Midnapore, Hooghly and Howrah. Kolkata came a mere fifth.
Experts highlighted that the new pattern of the question paper, introduction of multiple choice questions and short answer type question has helped students to secure high percentage of marks and compete with the other boards.
(With inputs from Pooja Mehta)
