Over 97 per cent students, who appeared for the 2021 Uttar Pradesh board examination, have cleared it, the state government said on Saturday. The overall pass percentage for class 10 was 99.53, while it was 97.88 for class 12, it said in a statement. The pass percentage of boys stood at 97.47 per cent, while that of the girls was 98.40 per cent in class 12, the state government said. In class 10, the pass percentage of the boys was 99.52, while that of the girls was 99.55, it said. Director of Uttar Pradesh Secondary Education Council Vinay Kumar Pandey said that in all 56,06,278 students appeared for the examination. This includes 29,96,031 students in class 10, and 26,10,247 students in class 12. Pandey informed that of the 29,96,031 students who appeared for the class 10 board examination, as many as 29,82,055 cleared it. This includes 16,68,868 boys and 13,13,187 girls, he said. In class 12, out of 26,10,247 students, as many as 25,54,813 students cleared the examination. This includes 14,37,033 boys and 11,17,780 girls, Pandey said. Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma congratulated the students who cleared the examination. In a statement issued here, Sharma said, “Our students worked hard during the difficult COVID-19 time, and today’s result bears testimony to this fact.” “The students will make the state and the country proud by their talent and skills. At a time during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the entire world came to a standstill, the efforts of the state government kept the education system moving,” he said. Sharma also claimed that Uttar Pradesh has become an example for different states as far as conducting “cheating-free” examinations was concerned.