India: 22 students from Christian schools top in Assam state board exams

The High School Leaving Certification (HSLC) examination for Grade 12 students results were announced on June 8 in Assam, northeast India.  

The school results unleashed a festival of joy among the students who passed, their parents, teachers, heads of school and the management, and the public at large.  The Board of Secondary Education, Assam conducts the examinations.

According to a release from the Assam Christian Forum (ACF), the top 22 performers are students from various schools run by the minority Christian community in the state.

"The joy of the minority Christian community-run schools was manifold, for out of 55 rank holders [students attaining the top 55 scores] 22 of them starting with the first topper onwards come from the different schools run by them spread across the state," wrote ACF spokesperson Allen Brooks.

Education has been the biggest contribution made by the Christian missionaries, irrespective of denominations, to Assam and entire northeast India. The first school was established by Rev. Dr. Miles Bronson way back in 1843 in Nogaon, Assam. 

Subsequently, many schools were founded across the state by the Baptist missionaries who are also credited for helping reinstate the Assamese language and giving the region its first newspaper 'ORUNDOI' (sunrise).

At the turn of the 20th century, the Catholic missionaries, led by Loreto Convent School, Shillong (established in 1909) and St. Edmond School, Shillong (established in 1916) began their educational journey by establishing schools in Shillong, the then capital of undivided Assam. 

The advent of the Salesians of Don Bosco in 1922 and their establishment of educational institutions along with other religious congregations, dioceses and denominations across North East India, Assam helped thousands of youth to be educated. They introduced to the youth of the region a world-class holistic education system that helped them recognize their potential and establish themselves in different fields while preparing them to compete with the rest of the world. 

Incidentally, the Don Bosco Society is celebrating its 100 years of selfless dedication to the youth of the northeast in 2022.

Local newspapers have reported that as many as 2,29,131 students have successfully cleared the HSLC 2022 or Grade 12’ exam. Notably, as many as 4,05,582 students have appeared for the HSLC examination this year. As many as 64,101 candidates have secured the third division and 99,854 attained the second division and 65176 students have clinched the first division.

“I thank the school, parents and others for the wishes and blessings. I am happy that I passed the exam with distinction,” said Rina Bhattacharjee, a student at St. Mary’s, Guwahati. - Frank Krishner