Assam HSLC and HSSLC results

The recently-declared results of the HSLC and HSSLC examinations have confirmed a welcome trend with an increasing number of students from small towns and villages making it to the top slots. A number of educational institutions from mofussil and interior areas have come up with commendable performances in both the examinations. That more and more such institutions are competing with their established counterparts on equal terms is something that augurs well for the State’s education sector. The success stories emanating from small towns and villages are bound to have a stimulating impact on scores of students with unfavourable backgrounds. Another conspicuous trend in recent years has been the rising pass percentage. At 61.55, this year’s HSLC pass percentage is the highest ever. In fact, the pass percentage has almost doubled in the last one decade. A noticeable increase in pass percentage is evident in the HSSLC examination also, especially in Arts and Commerce streams. Despite this excellence, it could still be debatable to attribute it solely to a better performance by the students, given that the marking system practised nowadays is a lot more liberal than earlier.

The elation over the results, however, should not make us oblivious to the darker shades of the picture. The grim reality confronting us is that well over one-third of the candidates have been unsuccessful, with many of them facing an uncertain future. The situation calls for according proper thrust on vocational education which can absorb a sizeable quantity of students, depending on their option and aptitude. The district-wise performance reveals that some districts have constantly been faring poorly. The lacunae behind their below-par performance need to be identified and addressed at the earliest. On the positive front, a backward and perennially flood-ravaged district like Dhemaji has been ranked second with a high pass percentage of 75.91. The good performance by Assamese-medium schools is another heartening development. A special mention has to be made of a relatively new private-run vernacular school like Axam Jatiya Vidyalaya, which has consistently been producing toppers for several years. Known for its methodical and disciplined approach to education, Jatiya Vidyalaya gives priority to both spoken and written English — a rarity in government-run vernacular schools. ASSAM TRIBUNE