KOHIMA — The annual Higher Secondary School Leaving Certificate (HSSLC) and class XI promotion examinations which began on Feb. 12 in Nagaland concluded on Thursday.
More than 60,000 students had enrolled to appear the exams conducted by Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE).
The board’s secretary, Rangumbuing Nsarangbe told Eastern Mirror that meticulous measures had been put in place to ensure the smooth conduct of the board exams to prevent potential challenges. He said that security protocols were stringent, with question papers securely stored in safe custody and escorted by police personnel to examination centers along with centre superintendents.
He also apprised that pre-exam briefings were held for invigilators to ensure adherence to protocols and guidelines while contributing to a well-coordinated examination process.
Earlier, the NBSE had announced that 22,152 candidates were enrolled to take the High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) exams across 95 exam centres, with an additional 449 candidates appearing for compartmental exams at 16 exam centers.
In the HSSLC examination, a total of 17,911 candidates had been enrolled to appear across 68 exam centres while 20,166 students were expected to appear the promotional exams from 185 registered higher secondary schools throughout Nagaland.
NBSE chairperson, Asano Sekhose, said that exams were conducted smoothly with preventive measures in place to avoid incidents of question paper leaks, unlike past occurrences with class 9 exams.
It was informed that special arrangements were made for students with special needs, including exemptions, extra time, separate rooms, and assistance with question papers. Exam centres were also assigned based on students’ addresses, to ensure convenience, and with accommodations were made for individual needs.
The disabilities encompass a range, including visual impairment, locomotor disability, dwarfism, cerebral palsy, physical disability, intellectual disability, schizophrenia, blindness, or hearing impairment.
According to a notification issued by NBSE prior to the exams, 22 candidates with disabilities enrolled to appear in the HSLC exam, while five students were set to take the Class XI promotion exam, and 13 students for the HSSLC exam.
Furthermore, the notification specified that candidates with disabilities would be exempted from paying examination fees.
On expectations regarding the pass percentage and overall performance of students in these exams, Nsarangbe said that expectations vary annually and are influenced by factors such as student performance and cohort dynamics.
Queried on whether NBSE exams coincide with the schedules of exams from other state boards, he noted that since it's an election year, many boards, including Assam and West Bengal began their exams early. There may be slight variations of just a few days between the exam schedules, he added.
According to Nsarangbe, the NBSE’s HSLC and HSSLC exams serve as crucial assessments of student learning outcomes, reflecting the state's educational efficacy.
“So far, our state is doing very well,” he maintained.
He mentioned that the retention rate for Class X students is notably high, with many opting to continue their education within Nagaland even after clearing their exams. He said that such a trend reflects positively on the state's education system and contributes to the growth and development of education in Nagaland.
Meanwhile, Sekhose emphasised the significance of NBSE board exams in certifying students' academic levels and their preparedness for further education.
Competency-based questions were introduced to align with the focus on competency-based learning, as outlined in NEP 2020, she said.