By Moa Jamir
The recently declared Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE) results for the HSLC and HSSLC Examinations 2025 offer an opportunity to reflect on shifting academic patterns across the state. While overall trends suggest encouraging progress, certain concerns—most notably the steady decline in the Science stream’s performance—demand attention.
One of the most heartening developments is the historic achievement in the HSLC examination, with a pass percentage of 75.16%—the highest recorded since 2010, if not the best in the exam’s history. Notably, government high schools (GHS) have shown tangible improvements, with the number of schools achieving 100% pass results increasing to over 30, while schools with zero results dropped to around 20. Sustained excellence from institutions like GHS Longjang and GHS Saring, maintaining 100% pass rates for several consecutive years, highlights that GHS can equally compete with their private counterparts.
Both 100% and 0% pass results should be viewed in context rather than absolute terms, as some schools on either side had very few candidates, and many narrowly missed the 100% mark due to one or two students not qualifying. The overall pass percentage of GHS also showed a marginal two-year consecutive drop.
Equally encouraging is the visible progress of government higher secondary schools (GHSS) at the HSSLC level. For the first time, a student from GHSS Jotsoma topped the Arts stream, and three government school students featured in the merit lists—a significant and symbolic breakthrough.
Additionally, four GHSS achieved 100% pass rates: GHSS Naginimora (Arts) maintained its perfect record for the fourth consecutive year, GHSS Chümoukedima (Arts) for the second year, while GHSS Thangjam and GHSS Mon (Science) also delivered flawless results. These achievements reinforce the growing perception that government schools at the higher secondary level are increasingly competing on equal footing with private institutions across all streams.
The consistent upward trajectory in the Arts and Commerce streams at the HSSLC level is also a positive trend. The Arts stream recorded a best-ever pass percentage of 84.05%, marking a steady climb from 69.37% in 2021. Commerce, too, maintained a strong showing with 81.40%, even though it dipped slightly from 87.67% in 2024. Both streams reflect sustained improvements that suggest broader systemic strengthening and increased student engagement.
Amid these positive signs, the Science stream shows a troubling decline. The pass percentage for Science fell to 76.54%, its lowest since 2013. After peaking at a remarkable 91.35% during the pandemic-affected 2021 examinations, the numbers have consistently dipped each year. This four-year slide raises an urgent question: Why is the Science stream struggling when others are thriving?
Is the shift toward mandating Mathematics as a compulsory subject for all Science students in most GHSS a possible explanation for the decline in Science results? While the policy aims to strengthen the academic rigor of the stream, it may have inadvertently made Science a more challenging choice for many students. Traditionally, Mathematics has been an 'Achilles' heel' for students in Nagaland. Could this shift in policy be contributing to the lower academic performance in Science? With hindsight and detailed results at hand, the NBSE should consider a holistic review of the issue, including strengthening foundational Mathematics teaching at earlier educational levels.
Despite some standouts, the performance of public institutions in HSLC still leaves much to be desired and requires further attention and intervention.
Overall, the 2025 results present a mixed picture: reasons for optimism intertwined with areas of concern. The NBSE and stakeholders must holistically study these trends and revisit curricula and teaching support systems to ensure that future results reflect not just high percentages, but robust and equitable educational growth across all streams and sectors.
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