A significant drop of over 11% in the number of students opting for the Biology group this year has been observed in Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB)’s Science stream.

The board examination for Class 12 Science begins on February 27, 2025. Amid this, a decrease of more than 8,200 students has been found in Group B (Physics/Chemistry/Biology) of the Science stream as compared to last year. Last year, 72,567 regular students registered in Group B, whereas this year saw a significant drop, with 64,338 registrations.

At the time of admission to Class 11, students are offered three group options: A, B, and AB. Students who wish to pursue engineering and other mathematics related fields after completing their 12th grade in Science stream typically opt for the Group A. On the other hand, those aspiring for careers in medical and paramedical fields generally choose the Group B. The Group AB, which combines subjects from both A and B, provides a broader academic focus for students with varied interests.

Group A involves three core subjects – Maths, Chemistry and Physics, while Group B has Physics, Chemistry and Biology. 

After mass promotion was given in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 board exam had the fewest takers of board exams in A and B Groups. 

In 2022, there were only 95,715 students in the regular category, of which Group B had the fewest 62,231 and Group A 33,446 students.

This year a total of 1,11,384 students have registered for the Class 12 Science board exam. Of these, 1,00,813 students are in the regular category, including A, B, and AB groups. There are 36,455 students in Group A, 64,338 in Group B, and 20 students in Group AB. In the repeater category, there are 2,231 in Group A, 8,138 in Group B, seven in the AB group, 95 in the isolated category, and 144 in the specially-abled category.

Last year, in the regular category, there were 38,828 students in Group A and 72,567 students in Group B. A decrease of 2,373 students accounted for 6% fewer students in Group A than last year, while in Group B there was a decrease of 8,229 students (11%).