Chennai: The city corporation’s eff­o­rts to improve standards in its schools appear to be pa­ying off with 85.53%of its students clearing the Plus-2 examination this year.

“The encouragement we have been giving our students has clearly helped as the Subbarayan Chennai Higher secondary school in Aminjikarai which had on­ly 53 per cent passes last year, has 100 per cent passes this year,”   said joint co­m­missioner (education), T. N. Venkatesh of the Ch­e­n­nai Corporation, pointing out that 25 of its 32 schools had managed to get over 80 per cent passes this year.

Even better, many of the to­ppers have set their sig­hts on becoming chartered acc­ountants (CA). “ I have app­lied for B. Com in two colleges in the city but CA is my ultimate goal,” said B. Nithya,who scored the second highest marks in the city. Revealing that her father worked in a flour mill and she lived in a small house, she said she was determined to do well in the exam despite the challenges.

Like Nithya,  city topper, Veera Selvi, who scored 1145 out of 1200, also hopes to become a chartered ac­c­ountant some day. D. Sel­vajothi, who scored the hi­ghest marks in geography in the state, wants to be­come an IAS officer and her father, David Kumar,  a st­r­eetside fruit seller, is confident  his daughter will continue to excel in her studies and achieve her dream. All the girls had more reason to smile on Thursday as Mayor Saidai. S. Durai­samy announced the coporation would bear their higher education expenses.