Rashida Naaz, a student of DAV +2 High School, has emerged as the Jharkhand topper in the Intermediate examination after scoring 489 marks, or 97.80 per cent. Calling the achievement a “dream come true”, Rashida said she had hoped to secure the first rank in the state but could hardly believe it when the result was announced. Rashida said she was informed about her state rank by her Mathematics teacher. “After the board exams, I was confident of scoring good marks, but I also believed there would be many students across Jharkhand who could score higher,” she said.
The daughter of Md. Rustom Ansari, who works in a private company, and homemaker Gulafsha Parveen, Rashida come from a middle-class family. She had earlier scored 94 per cent in matriculation and had become the block topper then as well. The Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) announced the JAC 12th Result 2026 on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. The overall pass percentage of 12th class students who appeared from the science stream for the academic session 2025-26 has been reported to be at 82.92%.
JAC 12th Board Examination 2026: Blueprint she followed to secure first rank
Sharing her preparation strategy for the JAC 12th Class Exam 2026, Rashida credited consistency and early preparation for her success. She said completing the syllabus early gave her enough time for revision and helped reduce stress during exams. “It is better to focus on quality hours of study rather than just the number of hours,” she said.
She studied physics, chemistry, mathematics, English, and computer science as her core subjects. While physics was initially challenging for her, she said she overcame her fear of the subject with extra effort and guidance from her teacher. Chemistry became her strongest subject in the final examination, where she secured 99 marks. Mathematics was another subject she felt confident about, having earlier scored 99 in Class 10.
Jharkhand Class 12 Topper 2026: What kept her motivated throughout the journey?
Unlike many aspirants, Rashida did not attend any offline coaching classes. Instead, she relied on regular school attendance and online learning through YouTube. She also stayed away from social media during her preparation. “Mobile phones are the biggest distraction for students. So I never overindulged in it. I watched toppers’ interviews to understand their strategies and stay inspired. In my free time, I watched YouTube Shorts in moderation and followed comedy content from Making Joke Of (MJO) for entertainment,” she said.
JAC 12th Result 2026: Dedicated her feat to her mentor
The topper dedicated her achievement to her parents, teachers, and elder sister Kaneez Fatima. She said her parents always supported her education and never let financial limitations affect her studies. She also credited her sister for mentoring and motivating her since childhood. She thanked her teachers, who always encouraged her and helped her frame the mindset to become a state topper.
Know her future plans and an advice to all young girls reading her story
As advice to young girls, Rashida urged them to stay confident and not succumb to societal or family pressure. “Girls are equally capable as boys when it comes to intellectual strength,” she said. Looking ahead, Rashida hopes to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Science and eventually enter the teaching profession. “I want to help students achieve their dreams and experience a day as special as becoming a state topper,” she said.
This year, as per the official data released by the board, JAC recorded an overall pass percentage of 92.27% across streams. A total of 3,22,341 appeared, and 2,97,414 successfully passed the examination. For more such inspiring stories and updates, students can regularly visit the online portal of Indian Express (IE) Education.
