There has been a significant drop in the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE), Pune’s top 20 percentile cut-off marks for the Std XII (HSC) Science stream in 2025. These percentile cut-offs are crucial for students aiming to qualify for national-level entrance exams such as the IIT-JEE, IIIT, and NITs, where eligibility is linked to being in the top 20 percentile of a recognised board.

According to a circular signed by MSBSHSE Secretary Devidas Kulal, the 2025 cut-offs have fallen sharply across all categories compared to 2024. For the General and EWS categories, the cut-off has dipped from 378 to 361, a 17-mark drop. The OBC-NCL category cut-off fell by 15 marks, from 383 to 368. The SC and ST categories saw the steepest decline—20 marks each—dropping from 364 to 344 (SC) and 366 to 346 (ST).