The Junior Certificate class of 2003 has outperformed last year's students in most subjects, according to the results published today.
However, almost 8 per cent of students failed ordinary level maths and 12 per cent failed ordinary level French.
Overall, standards in Irish and art were well up on last year.
There were also very good grades achieved in religious education, where some 4,000 students were examined for the first time. More than 84 per cent of those taking a higher grade paper in the subject secured an honour.
One of the "easiest" subjects to secure good grades in is civic, social and political education (CSPE), where 87 per cent of students secured a grade C or higher.
Overall, the results show the Junior Cert is a challenging exam at higher level, despite the perception that it is very "easy" when compared to the Leaving Cert exam.
In general terms, the numbers securing honours in Irish, English and maths in the Junior Cert are similar to the honours rate for the Leaving Cert.
For example, 80 per cent secured a honour in Irish at higher level in both the Junior and Leaving Cert.
The results in French are disappointing but the performance in ordinary level German has improved. Last year, 10 per cent failed ordinary level but this is down to 6 per cent this year.
Results in science have also improved. The failure rate at higher level (4.5 per cent) and ordinary level (3.4 per cent) is down on last year.
The Junior Cert figures also show that more than 50 per cent of second-level students - about 27,000 - are now taking ordinary level Irish.
In other languages, such as French and German, the percentage taking the ordinary level paper is much lower.
The Junior Cert exam is likely to change dramatically in the future. The exam is unloved in education circles, where it is regarded as a "mirror image" of the Leaving Cert.
But parents tend to support the exam, arguing that it gives students some focus for their studies.
Last night, the State Examinations Commission said it had withheld 126 results in CSPE, pending further discussions with schools. Results are regularly withheld in this subject where students work together on action projects.
