'It’s not just about exam marks': UAE-based Pakistani students ace Kerala’s Class 10 SSLC exams

Dubai: About 60 UAE-based non-Indian students – nearly half of them Pakistanis – have excelled in Kerala’s Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) Class 10 exams, the results of which were announced recently.
Overall, 685 students, including Indians and non-Indians, appeared for the exams, with 677 qualifying for higher studies, resulting in an impressive pass percentage of 98.83 per cent.

There are seven schools in the UAE that follow the Kerala State Board curriculum. Among them, three schools: Model Private School, Abu Dhabi; New Indian Model School, Sharjah; and Indian School, Fujairah, achieved a 100 per cent pass rate. 

30 Pakistanis, 20 Bangladeshis
Interestingly, 66 non-Indian students took the exams, including 30 Pakistanis, 20 Bangladeshis, five Afghans, three Sri Lankans, and others from the Philippines, Nepal, Egypt, Mali, Sudan, Senegal, Yemen, and Iran. Of these, 61 students qualified for higher studies.

The New Indian School in Ras Al Khaimah had the highest number of non-Indian candidates, with 24 students.

School principal Beena Rani told Gulf News that non-Indian students, particularly Pakistanis, have been following the Kerala State Board curriculum for many years and have consistently performed well in the SSLC exams.

“Initially, we had Pakistani students, and later, other nationalities started enrolling,” she said.

What are benefits?
The Kerala State Board follows the Comprehensive Continuous Evaluation (CCE) system, which stresses on conceptual understanding over rote memorisation.

“It’s not just about exam marks,” Rani said. “The curriculum also evaluates skills like public speaking and project work. Our students regularly excell in seminars and competitions.”

She added that awareness among parents about the holistic nature of the Kerala curriculum is increasing. “Parents now see the benefits. They observe how students’ progress into higher education and successful careers.”

But what about Malayalam?

Rani clarified that Malayalam is not mandatory.

“Students can choose alternative subjects. For instance, they can opt for General Knowledge instead of Hindi. There’s also an elective English paper, which makes it easier for non-Indian students to score well,” she said.

At New Indian School, Ras Al Khaimah, the 24 non-Indian students include seven Bangladeshis, six Pakistanis, five Afghans, among others.

'Wider acceptability'
Meanwhile, English Private School, Umm Al Quwain, had the second-highest number of international students with 18, including 15 Pakistanis.
Indian School, Fujairah, had 17 students: 10 Bangladeshis, six Pakistanis, and one Filipino.

Rajesh Janardanan, Head of the Secondary Section at Indian School, Fujairah, noted that Kerala SSLC results are not officially recognised in Pakistan and Bangladesh.

“Some families may not be returning to Pakistan or Bangladesh, so they opt for the Kerala Board,” he said.

Also, now in Grade 12, the marks of both the years will be combined, and there are options to improve on the subjects of first year. “Apart from the possibility to improve upon your first year score, there is ‘Save a Year’ exam as well. Kerala State Board curriculum is gaining wider acceptance,” Janardanan added.