Kerala boy tops CBSE Grade 12 UAE Commerce

“I expected to get grades but never thought I would be the UAE topper,” confesses Sachin Nair, who scored an impressive 97.6 per cent to top the Indian education board exam’s Commerce stream this year.

“I’ve always been second. A girl in my class has been the topper all through. It’s only during the prelims I came first with 94 per cent. And, then this followed,” he adds, beaming.

Sachin is a student of Indian High School, which got an ‘outstanding’ grade from Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA).

Conducted by India’s Central Board of Secondary Education, the All India Senior School Certificate Examination is the last school exam before students start university studies.

“It’s a lot of hard work and time management is key,” he adds.

Sachin admits he worked tirelessly, and clocked in 8-10 hours for his school books. “But, I also took a 15-minute break every two hours,” he adds, saying, “it’s important to take a break or else you lose concentration.”

Apart from giving his textbooks priority, Sachin also found time to watch movies, and even spend time on Facebook with his friends.

In fact, the study hours increased closer to the board exams, with the school giving a two-month break for Grade 12 students.

His parents are obviously ecstatic about his academic performance. “They were so happy, and it was nice to bring them so much joy.”

Sachin claims his younger brother, who will start Grade 10 in the same school, is under no pressure to follow his academic pursuits. “He’s more into sports,” he says, adding there’s no pressure at home to only focus on school books.

He recalls being in a state of shock when his dad told him the good news. “I couldn’t jump around because I was in driving school at the time when my dad called me.”

The celebrations followed, with the family going out for a special dinner. Sachin, who hails from Trissur in Kerala, has been inundated with calls from family and friends back home.

“My friends have been bombarding me with requests for treats,” he adds.

The IHS, where Sachin has been studying for around 9 years, recently held a ceremony to honour the top achievers. “It was great to go back to school and celebrate with your friends and teachers.”

Sachin has already got admission in the University of Wollongong in Dubai, and is gearing to start a new chapter in his life.

Also read: CBSE Grade 12: DPS student is UAE topper with 98.2%

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