Nitika Garg of Carmel Convent, who has secured 91.2 per cent in the Non-medical stream, says: "You can score in the Boards even without extra coaching, but it certainly helps preparing for competitive exams.

Vikas Bansal, of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 46, has scored 90.8 per cent. Vikas never went beyond textbooks while preparing for the Board exams. Monika Bansal, of Carmel Convent School has secured 90.6 per cent. She says she studied mainly for competitive exams. Shuchi Bhandari of Carmel Convent has scored 90 per cent and says inspiration from parents made her do well.

"I expected to top in my school, says Divya Gupta of Bhawan Vidyalya, who is the topper of her school and has secured 90.2 per cent in the Commerce stream. Neha Gupta of the same school has secured 90 per cent. Himanshu Gupta of GMSSS, Sector 35, has got 89 per cent. His hobbies include playing and watching cricket. Manisha Singh of Vivek High School has scored 88 per cent in the Commerce stream and has stood first in her school.

Payal Sood, a student of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 35, says: "I think understanding of concepts and regularity paid a lot." Payal has scored 87 per cent in Commerce.

Shailja Sundriyal of Dev Samaj Sen Sec School, Sector 21, with 87.8 per cent is placed first in Humanities stream, together with Ojasvi Vardhan of GMSSS, Sector 16. Rati Sharma, also from the same school, scored 85.4 per cent. She says she studied only during the last month.

"I never expected this much," says her classmate Rashi Kakkar who has scored 80 per cent. "Doctors had suggested not to study more than three hours a day as I was undergoing eye treatment. It is because of my grandmother and parents that I could get 80 per cent ," she says.