Mumbai, June 11 (IANS): The Maharashtra government would conduct a re-examination in July for students who failed the March 2015 SSC examinations, it was announced on Thursday.

Education Minister Vinod Tawde said a supplementary exam would be conducted for those students who failed the SSC 2015 exams, the results of which were announced on Monday.

"Re-exam in second week of July for students who failed SSC '15. Results out by third week of August... Studies can be resumed on September 1," Tawde said in a tweet.

"The exam will help them (students) to save a year and progress academically."

Under the existing system, students who failed could take a re-exam only in October or March the next year - leading to a waste of one year, besides the stigma of a failure permanently on their academic record.

This year, a total of 15,72,268 students appeared for the SSC exams in the state with an average pass percentage of 92.

Soon after the results were announced, Tawde indicated that the scheme would be implemented giving a second opportunity to thousands of students who could not clear the exams in the first round.

Thursday's decision would enable the students successful in the re-exam to take admissions in colleges and other higher education course during the current year itself.