Governor Nand Kishore Yadav honours HSLC and HSSLC board toppers with Governor’s Awards for Meritorious Students in Kohima.
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KOHIMA — Nagaland Governor Nand Kishore Yadav felicitated the toppers, rank holders, and achievers of the High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) and Higher Secondary School Leaving Certificate (HSSLC) examinations 2026 conducted by the Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE) during a ceremony at Dr. Imkongliba Ao Hall, Lok Bhavan, Kohima, on Wednesday.
Congratulating the recipients of the Governor's Awards for Meritorious Students, Yadav urged them to uphold integrity, humility, and service as they pursue higher studies and future careers.
He stated that the award was instituted to recognise and celebrate academic excellence, honouring hard work, discipline, perseverance, and dedication. He added that through the initiative, the state reaffirms its commitment to nurturing talent and inspiring future generations to contribute to the progress of the state and the nation.
The Governor also acknowledged the support of parents, teachers, and schools, noting that their guidance and sacrifices play a vital role in the students' success. He encouraged the awardees to continue dreaming big and using their talents for the greater good.
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Speaking at the programme, Advisor for School Education and SCERT Kekhrielhoulie Yhome highlighted the performance of students in the 2026 board examinations and raised concerns over the high school dropout rate in the state.
Yhome informed that out of 22,765 students who appeared for the HSLC examination, 16,408 passed, with only one topper coming from a government school. For the HSSLC examination covering Arts, Science, and Commerce streams, 15,468 students appeared and 13,290 passed. Among the top performers, two were from government schools, he said.
Pointing out a gap of 7,297 students between those appearing in HSLC and HSSLC examinations, Yhome stated that this represents students who did not continue their studies to Classes 11 and 12, noting that Nagaland has one of the highest school dropout rates in the country.
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He explained that the Governor's Awards are presented under five categories, including the Mayangnokcha Award instituted by the state government, awards for toppers, subject achievers, excellence awardees, government school students, and students from eastern Nagaland.
Yhome reminded the students to remain humble, stating that this recognition is only one milestone in their journey. Highlighting the goal of Viksit Bharat 2047, he said Nagaland is aligning itself to become a developed state, where human capital will play a crucial role.
He noted that Nagaland's educational history is relatively young, with its first matriculate emerging 108 years ago and its first graduate 102 years ago.
Despite this, he stated that Nagaland ranks among the top three most literate states in the country.
Yhome also highlighted the contribution of Nagas to nation-building, recalling the achievements of legendary figures like Dr. Talimeren Ao. Referring to the recent tripartite agreement signed between the governments of India, Assam, and Nagaland for oil and gas exploration, he said the state possesses significant natural resources for economic growth. He urged the students to contribute to the state's development, reminding them of the sacrifices made by their parents.
During the programme, the awards and certificates were presented to HSLC and HSSLC toppers, achievers in MIL and skill education subjects, government school students, eastern Nagaland students, and recipients of the Governor's Excellence Award for Science Students.