Fri Apr 11 15:31:34 UTC 2025: ## Contrasting Fortunes in Northeastern Exam Results Spark Debate

**GUWAHATI, April 11, 2025** – Conflicting reactions to Class X exam results in Assam and Meghalaya have ignited a debate about the true measure of educational success. While Assam grapples with a 12% drop in the pass rate, falling from 75.7% in 2024 to 63.98% this year, Meghalaya celebrates a record high of 87.10%, more than double the previous year’s rate in some districts.

The contrasting outcomes have led to sharply divided opinions. In Assam, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi criticized the state government’s education policies, citing the drop as evidence of failure and questioning the effectiveness of the model schools established in tea estates. He urged the government to address access, equity, and quality in secondary education. Education Minister Ranoj Pegu acknowledged the lower-than-average pass rates among Scheduled Caste (58.56%) and Adivasi (51.89%) students, promising focused interventions for the next academic year.

Meanwhile, in Meghalaya, the Voice of the People Party (VPP) expressed concern over the dramatic improvement, suggesting that the high pass rate, fueled by government-provided guidebooks under the CM-IMPACT project, may not reflect genuine learning gains. VPP spokesperson Batskhem Myrboh, an academician, called for the scrapping of the guidebooks, fearing they compromise the foundation for higher studies. Meghalaya’s Education Minister, Rakkam A. Sangma, defended the initiative, stating the guidebooks were not mandatory and that the results reflect students’ hard work. The differing perspectives highlight a broader concern: whether rising pass percentages always equate to improved educational standards.

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