Guwahati, May 27: A girl who conquered ovarian cancer to clinch a top 20 slot was the biggest success story of a matric exam that set another record: of the highest-ever pass percentage.
The results of High School Leaving Certificate Examinations 2008, in fact, are a befitting follow-up of the record-clinching Higher Secondary success that Assam celebrated barely 12 days ago. But hidden in record pass percentage — 59 this time — is a gut-wrenching story of inspiration that no statistics will tell.
Among the 107 bright students who shared the top 20 positions is also an unassuming young girl, Neelakshi Baruah, who grappled with painful ovarian cancer and diminishing self-confidence to clinch the 17th position on the merit list.
And the student of St Mary’s English High School at Maligaon is not done yet. “I am determined to fight on now. I want to become a doctor and give life to those who are suffering like me,” an emotional Neelakshi told The Telegraph today after the results were announced.
Neelakshi got letter marks in Assamese, English, general science, general maths, social studies and advanced maths.
Her father, Kanak Chandra Baruah, an official of Gauhati University, said: “When she was detected with ovarian cancer last May, it was as if the sky had fallen on us. But she showed great courage and determination to fight on”.
Over three months, Neelakshi underwent three rounds of chemotherapy at the Apollo Hospitals in Chennai.
“When the effects started to show, like hair loss, she started losing confidence. But all those who care helped her overcome her fear. Despite her ill health, she studied for 12 to 14 hours a day to prepare for the examination. As a father, I could not have asked for more,” said Baruah.
For the school it was day of jubilation, as six other students were placed among the top 20 on the merit list.
Sister Lissy, headmistress of St Mary’s School, said Neelakshi’s success story would serve as an inspiration to all students to excel even in the midst of extreme adversity. “We are all proud of Neelakshi as well as the other successful students,” she said.
If Neelakshi’s story is heartwarming, so is the stupendous show by Assamese-medium schools, especially for those who have been lamenting the decline in standard of vernacular educational institutions.
Students from at least 35 Assamese-medium schools found space in the top 20 list, led by Monimoy Buzarbaruah of Axam Jatiya Vidyalaya in Guwahati.
Monimoy, who wants to be an astrophysicist and work for NASA, is among four rank-holders from the school.
The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), which has been very vocal in its criticism of the government for not giving due importance to developing Assamese-medium schools, said: “Our stand has been vindicated. Language cannot be an impediment to good results”.
The secretary of Board of Secondary Education, Assam, D. Mahanta, said this was the best ever Matric results in its history.
He said while the pass percentage has gone upto 58.68 — a little over 5 per cent rise from last year’s 53.54 per cent — the number of first division holders, at 17,084, has also gone up significantly.
“There has been improvement in the system of imparting lessons in schools across the state. The result is the sign of quality education,” he said.
Mahanta attributed the success to the fact that “students from English medium school could not score more marks in the Modern Indian Language paper which was made compulsory from this year instead of Alternative English”.
An upbeat education minister Ripun Bora put the “quantitative and qualitative” rise in the pass percentage to “routine inspection, decision to throw open the results for scrutiny under the RTI Act, distribution of computers to those securing first division and extension of financial grants to schools to motivate them”.
“The overall pass percentage could have been around 65 per cent had we allowed around 35,000 candidates who had not done well in the pre-selection test to take the exam. We are still going through the results but going by the trend, we are on the right track and this is because of the collective efforts of our government, SEBA, schools and students,” Borah said.
In the Assam High Madrassa Examination results, declared simultaneously with HSLC, 3,602 of the 4,979 students who took the examination have passed, taking the percentage of success to 72.34. Mohammad Mostufa Ahmed of Alhaj Nurul Hussain High Madrassa at Kaoimari in Nagaon topped the chart of successful candidates.