Several schools reported that no student had scored 100 per cent in ISC (Class XII) maths unlike other years. Some said the highest in the subject had gone down, too, making them believe that the absence of pen-and-paper exams had hurt students.

At least two schools said they intended to bring it to the notice of the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) that announced the ICSE and ISC results on Saturday.

In some other schools, students had contacted their teachers to ask for a provision of improvement exams or rechecks.

In La Martiniere for Boys, Calcutta Boys’ School, Loreto House, Calcutta Girls’ High School, Sri Sri Academy, Delhi Public School New Town, Sri Sri Academy, M P Birla Foundation Higher Secondary School and Julien Day School Howrah, not one student scored 100 in maths. All these schools have several students scoring 100 every year.

A Calcutta Boys’ official said usually, the school has eight or nine ISC candidates who score 100. A La Martiniere for Boys official said they usually have 15 students who score 100 and a Loreto House official said at least five score full marks.

Sri Sri Academy, MP Birla and Calcutta Girls’ officials said three or four of their students score 100 every year.

Teachers in some schools said that if the marks in other subjects are high, for those vying for prestigious colleges, the maths score could become the differentiator. “A student might lose out in the competition for admission in top colleges,” said a principal.

A school head said that those who had secured admission in foreign universities were safe but many others were worried.

“Students are worried that a dip in their percentage might affect their college admission,” said a school head.

For example, in one school, the highest in maths is 93 and 27 students have scored 90 and above — in the 90 to 93 bracket.

In another school, the highest maths marks last year was 99. This year, it is 84.

Teachers in some schools said marks were not as expected and students would have performed better had they appeared in a written exam.

“The marks in the subject are not as expected. A lot of our students in both science and commerce have approached us because they want to write an improvement exam,” said Gargi Banerjee, vice-principal, Sri Sri Academy.

Teachers across schools said writing an exam would have let the academically stronger students get better marks than what they scored in the rehearsal exams.

“The rehearsals wake them up because they see their answer scripts and understand where they stand and prepare better to write a board exam. It is in the last leg that they burn the midnight oil, which was missing this year,” said Raja McGee, principal, Calcutta Boys’.

The council had cancelled this year’s ICSE and ISC exams because of the Covid pandemic.

The council had asked for the average marks of Classes XI and XII. Teachers said that seriousness among students does not set in before they are in Class XII.

“In Class XI, they still cannot overcome the joy of passing ICSE. They are also busy with activities and co-curriculars,” said McGee.

“A 99 or 98 is not a bad score. Since the formula considered marks in Class X, XI and XII, unless a student scored a 100 in all three, it is not possible to get a 100 in the board exam,” said John Stephen, acting principal of La Martiniere for Boys.