Dharamshala, May 5 -- Anshit Kumar, a carpenter's son, of the Arts stream emerged as the overall topper of Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education (HPBOSE) Class 12 examinations, securing 99.2% even as girls outperformed boys in overall results that were declared on Monday. Of the 76 six students, who figured in the joint merit list of top 10 rank holders, 60 are girls, and only 16 are boys. The pass percentage has seen a significant increase compared to the last few years. A total of 81,417 appeared in the examination of which 74,637 students passed. Of the total 40,281 female candidates, 37,749 students have passed the examination taking the pass percentage among girls to 93.72%. However, of the total 40,828 male students who appeared in the exam, 36,888 have passed which is 90.35%. The pass percentage of above 90% was last recorded in 2022, when it was 93%. It declined to 79.6% in 2023, and further to 74.5% in 2024. However, it saw an increase in 2025, when a pass percentage of 83.16% was recorded and has further gone up this year to reach 92.02%. The HPBOSE Class 12 examinations were conducted in March. In the Arts stream, Anshit Kumar of PM Shri Government Senior Secondary School, Bhawarna in Kangra, who is also the overall state topper, secured 496 out of 500 marks, and Arushi of Government Senior Secondary School, Kanger Dharyar in Sirmaur district bagged second position with 99% marks while Shamya Barjatya of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Dari, in Kangra stood third with 98.8% marks. Of the 36 students who made it to the list of top ten in the arts stream, 30 are girls and only 6 are boys. Shayla Kashyap of The New Era School of Sciences, Chhatri, has secured the top position in science stream scoring 495 (99%) marks out of a total 500. Sanchita Dhiman of Gurukul Public Senior Secondary School, Pakka Paroh, Amb, has shared the second position with Kashi Sharma of Aryan Public School, Jhandi. They both have scored 493 (98.6%) marks. The third position in the science stream is shared by Tamanna Sharma of Sunrise Public School, Baruna, Nitin Kumar of AVM Senior Secondary School, Pahra and Vaishali Thakur of SD Public Senior Secondary School, Santokh Garh. They have scored 98.4% marks. Of the total 49 students who made it to the list of top ten in science, 37 are girls and 12 are boys. Yashsvani Chauhan of St DR Public Senior Secondary School, Gagret, has shared the top spot in the commerce stream with Krishika of the same school and Ayan of AVM Senior Secondary School, Pahra. They have secured 98.2% (491) marks. They are followed by Anjali of Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Nagrota Bagwan, Muskan of the same school and Jahanvi of Shivalik Science Senior Secondary School, Kharuni. They have secured 97.8% marks. The third position in the stream is shared by Akshima Pathania of Government Senior Secondary School, Malahri, Muskan Thakur of PM Shri Government Model Senior Secondary School, Dhundla and Ridhima of Government Senior Secondary School, Malahri. They have scored 97.6% marks. Of the total 36 students who figured in the list of top ten students in the commerce stream, 32 are girls and only 4 are boys....