School exam success rate: Concern over dip in Assam, jump in Meghalaya

Contrasting reactions to school exam success rates in Meghalaya and Assam spark concerns over education quality.

A jump in school exam success rate is as concerning as a dip, as contrasting reactions to the results in two northeastern States suggest.

Days after the Voice of the People Party (VPP), Meghalaya’s new regional party on the upswing, criticised the State government for pushing guidebooks to register an unprecedented pass percentage of 87.10, the Congress criticised Assam’s education policy for a 12% drop in the Class X exam success rate.

The results of the High School Leaving Certificate or Class X exam conducted by the Secondary Education Board of Assam were announced on Friday (April 11, 2025). The overall pass percentage dropped to 63.98% from 75.7% in 2024.

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said the results raise serious concerns. “This is a clear sign that the government is failing the youth of Assam. The only focus of the Himanta Biswa Sarma government is on closing down schools,” he said, questioning the effectiveness of the much-vaunted model schools established in many tea estates.

“The Chief Minister must allow the Education Minister to perform his duties instead of continuously sidelining him. The Assam government must take urgent, targeted action to improve access, equity, and quality in secondary education,” Mr. Gogoi said.

Ranoj Pegu, the Education Minister, noted that the pass percentage among the Scheduled Caste and “tea garden” or Adivasi students was below the State average at 58.56% and 51.89% respectively.

“In the 2025-26 academic year, the Education Department will prioritise focused interventions in these two social sectors to bridge the learning gap and promote inclusive educational growth,” he said.