Pune, June 26 (IANS) The top three ranks in the Maharashtra secondary school examination this year has been bagged by girls, according to the results announced here Monday.

In this year's Class 10 exams, 10,38,722 of the 16,08,278 students succeeded, bringing the pass percentage to 64.59 percent, state secondary and higher secondary education board chief Vasant Kalpande said.

Monika Mallinath Mashalkar of Latur in Osmanabad district has topped the examination that was conducted in March 2006. A student of Adarsh Vidyalaya, Monika secured 725 marks out of 750 (96.66 percent) to top the state.

Two students of Aurangabad and Amravati divisions were tied at the second spot while the third place in the state merit list went to a student from Pune, he said.

Nisha Kailasrao Lagad, a student of Dwarkadas Mantri Rajasthani Vidyalaya, Beed (Aurangabad division), and Arshaiya Tarannum Sayeed Yousuf of Janata Shikshan Prasarak Mandal Urdu High School, Fulsavangi, Yavatmal (Amravati division), secured 724 marks (96.53 percent) each to share the second place.

Pune's Jamandar Afreen Sikandar of Anglo Urdu Girls High School, New Modikhana, Pune (Pune division) was placed third with 723 marks (96.40 percent).

Kalpande said around 3,760 case of use of unfair means came to the board's notice during the exams.