DIMAPUR — Menguhaankum Chang of St. John Higher Secondary Residential School Dimapur, secured the top position in the HSSLC Science stream with 478 marks (95.60%), in results declared by the Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE) on Thursday.

The 18-year-old from Noksen village in Tuensang district said that the result was unexpected, particularly as the declaration came ahead of the earlier scheduled April 24 release. “I was having lunch after coaching when my teacher called to ask if I had seen the results. I said no because they were supposed to come out tomorrow. When she told me I was Rank 1, I was flabbergasted,” he shared.

Chang said that his journey was not without setbacks, admitting that he was not serious during the initial months of Class 12 and often “wasted time daydreaming.” It was only after the winter and summer breaks that he changed his approach, eventually putting in 12 to 14 hours of study daily.

Biology, he said, was initially a major concern. “I went downhill and was very discouraged. My teachers can testify to that. I started focusing on questions and answers and managed it,” he said.

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He credited his performance to discipline and consistent support from his school and family. The school’s no-mobile-phone policy, he said, helped minimise distractions.

Chang expressed gratitude to his parents, relatives, teachers, principal and friends, and made special mention of his warden, Meren, for maintaining strict study hours while also ensuring a balanced routine.