Tura, May 23: The Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) results announced this morning by the Meghalaya Board of School Education revealed a tight contest for the top slots between students from Khasi-Jaintia hills and the militancy-hit Garo hills.

As many as 13 students from the Garo hills districts made it into the state’s top-20 list — a success rate rarely witnessed in recent times — indicating that underdevelopment or militancy could not come in the way of a student’s determination to succeed.

St Xavier’s Secondary School here hogged the limelight with Megha Manjary Mohanty and Gunsa Irma Ch. Marak bagging the second and third places, followed by 11 others from the same region.

What has made these young students stand out was their sheer hard work with active support from their teachers and families.

“It was pure concentration on studies and hard work that has brought us to this position,” Gunsa said during a conversation with local reporters here this afternoon.

The results also showed a rise in pass percentage to a hopeful 34.30 per cent, though it still remains a far cry from the 80.98 and 79.35 per cent registered in West Jaintia Hills and East Khasi Hills. Moreover, 13 schools from Garo hills have registered cent per cent success in the examination.

“Constant revision of subjects and close co-ordination with parents, coupled with advice and regular study by the students led to today’s success story,” an elated Sister Remo of the Missionaries of Christ Jesus which runs St Xavier’s School said.

Some of the toppers have already spelt out their ambitions, which range from cracking the civil services exams or making it into an IIT to being top surgeons.

“I want to get through the IIT entrance test and later join the civil services to work for my country,” Gunsa told The Telegraph.

While second rank-holder Megha wants to give back to the community and become a teacher, fourth rank-holder Ankita Bhattacharjee aspires to become a child specialist.