Imphal, June 04: The dismal pass percentage of the 2003 HSLC examination has not only called for an immediate study on the defects of the education system in Manipur but has also greatly threatened the very existence of some private colleges and higher secondary schools.

Talking to The Sangai Express today Chairman of Council of Higher Secondary Education, Manipur (CHSEM), Dr T Manglem said the negative fallout of the dismal performance of students at the HSLC exam would also affect normal functioning of the CHSE.

To illustrate his point, Manglem, who also formerly held the post of Additional Director (U) said due to low pass percentage funds from the students through admission, examination fees etc would fall drastically and hamper Council administration.

Concerned at the alarming deterioration in the performance of the students at the exams, Dr Manglem said with only 7112 able to cross the class X barrier this year several colleges and higher secondary schools having class XI and XII have to woo the students.

In reply to a question Council secretary, Kunjabihari said only thirteen candidates passed the HSLC 2002 exam compared to 24,000 in 2001 and today some institutions are faced with the distinct possibility of being closed down permanently due to difficulty in meeting salaries of teachers and infrastructure maintenance.

This year also the conditions may worsen as out of the seven thousand plus candidates who were successful in the HSLC exam thousands are likely to opt for institutions outside Manipur while the remaining will choose the best institutes in the State, Manglem stated.

In such circumstances colleges and higher secondary schools located at rural areas will be the hardest hit as a large number of students would flock to the institutions located in the capital city which are capable of catering to the student's need like infrastructures, transport feasibility, expertise of teachers and various other reasons, he said.

The Secretary elucidated that Government colleges established at Wangjing, Tamenglong, Chandel, Lilong, Motbung and Ukhrul have been facing student enrolment problems for the last few years as a direct consequences of poor pass percentage.

On admission schedule he said admission date will be declared soon after the administrative committee meeting to preserve academic calendar, said the Secretary stressing on the urgent need to evaluate the prevailing system of education.

Falling short of mentioning the name of a particular underground organization whose strictures against unfair means vastly contributed to dismal showing this year, he expressed satisfaction that only meritorious students passed the examination and in the final analysis that is what matters.

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