The National Examination Board published the results of the 2026 Secondary Education Examination (SEE) within just 29 days. According to the results announced on Monday, 65.98% of students have been graded. This is an improvement of 4.17% compared to last year.
In 2025, 61.81% of students had been graded. This year, the highest number of students, 48,392, achieved a GPA between 3.60 and 4.00 out of the total 430,667 students who sat the exam.
In the GPA 3.20–3.60 range, 80,372 students were placed, while 94,222 students fell in the 2.80–3.20 range. A total of 55,977 students achieved a GPA between 2.40 and 2.80, and 5,190 students scored in the 2.00–2.40 range. Only 7 students received a GPA between 1.60 and 2.00.
Province-wise, the number of graded students this year stands at 50,890 in Koshi, 44,592 in Madhesh, 77,113 in Bagmati, 26,550 in Gandaki, 44,256 in Lumbini, 19,095 in Karnali, and 21,664 in Sudurpashchim.
The Board published the results in accordance with the government’s directive to release them within one month.
“The government had instructed us to publish results within 30 days. We have done it in 29. This was made possible because answer sheets were evaluated at the exam centres themselves,” says Tukraj Adhikari, Examination Controller.
In previous years, results used to take up to three months.
There had been concerns that grading answer sheets at the exam centres themselves would inflate pass rates. Still, Controller Adhikari assured that teachers were evaluated with full professional integrity.
“There were worries the checking might not be up to standard, but the results show otherwise. Teachers evaluated the papers ethically,” he says.
Professor Dr Bidyanath Koirala identified three reasons for the improvement. According to Koirala, firstly, many schools kept students on campus for three months, with food and accommodation provided, for intensive study. Secondly, answer sheets were evaluated at the exam centres. And lastly, students were given model question papers in advance.
Non-graded students
A total of 1,46,507 students were non-graded (did not pass). Madhesh Province had the highest number of non-graded students at 31,725 (out of 76,317 who appeared).
Among other provinces, the number of non-graded students stands at 21,366 in Koshi, 21,704 in Bagmati, 9,943 in Gandaki, 27,893 in Lumbini, 13,241 in Karnali, and 20,635 in Sudurpashchim.
Professor Koirala noted that the government needs to think about what to do for students who did not pass.
“What becomes of those who failed? The focus should be on how to make them capable,” he says to Onlinekhabar.
The Board has scheduled a supplementary examination from June 15 to 23 for students who did not pass. Students wishing to request a re-totalling may do so from May 15 to 21.
Notably, the pass percentages for community (public) and private schools were not separately released in Monday’s announcement. According to Adhikari, it will be released on Tuesday.
