Yashpal Jadeja, who stood second in the city, says though the guidance he received in school was quite adequate, the coaching classes gave him that extra edge through last-minute preparations and pointers on solving the papers.

Yashpal, who wants to pursue engineering, says, ``I don't think it is difficult to get to the top if a student puts in five or six hours' hard work everyday from the beginning of the academic year.''``One needs to maintain a balance; there's no point in doing away with entertainment altogether during or before examinations'', opines Rinki Sengupta, a Rosary School student who stood fourth in the city.

Though Rinki had expected to see her name among the toppers, she admits it may not have been possible without the help of coaching classes. It was that extra effort, added to the six or seven hours of work she put in every day diligently, that boosted her confidence and allowed her to outshine others in the examination room, she says.

Her school-mate Jigish Patel, 10th in the city, explains, ``It is not that the students cannot do without the notes of the coaching classes but just that they can provide the personal attention so hard to come by in school.''R Unnikrishnan, IPCL School student who stood third in the city, also benefited from after-school coaching. Says he, ``If the government is planning to do away with tuitions, they'll be taking a decision against the welfare of students. In fact, I came to know of my results from my coaching class, not my school.''

Amar Panchal, a Tejas Vidyalay student ranked fourth in the city, also did not want the government to do anything that would be against the students' interests.

``It is true that tuitions are a burden for economically backward families, but they are invaluable in building confidence for the board examinations,'' he says.

Disha Shah, who topped the city results, is away on a trekking holiday and could not be contacted for her comments.