The Karnataka School Examination and Assessment Board (KSEAB) has reduced the minimum passing marks for the 2nd PUC examinations from 35% to 30%, in a significant policy shift ahead of the 2026 results.

As per the revised criteria, students must now secure at least 30 marks in each subject, including both theory and internal assessments, along with an overall aggregate of 33%—equivalent to 198 out of 600 marks—to be declared pass.

The board is scheduled to announce the Karnataka 2nd PUC Results 2026 on April 7. Students will be able to access their scorecards through the official website — kseab.karnataka.gov.in.

The move comes against the backdrop of concerns over the state’s educational performance. 

According to the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2021–22, Karnataka ranked 15th nationally with a Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of 36.2%, trailing behind neighbouring states such as Tamil Nadu (46.8%) and Puducherry (61%).

Last year’s results reflect persistent gaps in performance. The overall pass percentage stood at 73.45%, with around 6.37 lakh students appearing for the exams. 

Girls outperformed boys significantly, recording a pass percentage of 77.8% among 3.4 lakh candidates, compared to 68.2% among 2.9 lakh male students.

Regional disparities were also evident, with urban students achieving a pass rate of 74.55%, while rural students lagged behind at 69.33%.

Further, institutional concerns surfaced as 123 colleges across the state reported a zero pass percentage, highlighting issues related to access, quality of education, and academic support.

The revised passing criteria is expected to ease academic pressure on students and may contribute to an improved pass percentage in the 2026 results, though questions around systemic gaps in the education sector remain.