Imphal, June 25: Thanks to the dismal trend of low pass percentage at the HSLC examination, some higher secondary schools under the Council of Higher Secondary Education Manipur (CHSEM) are facing the distinct possibility of having no students at all in the next couple of years.

The grim possibility becomes all that more visible when one looks at the statistics-there are barely 10 students in 19 higher secondary schools this year! The future looks even more pathetic as the pass percentage in the HSLC examination has been dipping in the last few years and this year too the pass percentage was a lowly 36 percent.

Less students getting through the HSLC exam means less student seeking admission in the higher secondary schools! The arithmetic is simple enough.

Acknowledging the grim reality, Council Secretary N Kunjamohan said the future of institutions which fail to attract students to the higher secondary classes is uncertain.

Interacting with this reporter, Kunjamohan said that out of 145 institutions under the Council having higher secondary level classes (XI&XII) 11 belong to Govt colleges, 38 to non-Govt colleges, Govt higher secondary - 43 and non-Govt higher secondaries 53.As the 2003 HSLC also saw a poor pass percentage, there are hardly ten students in class XI for the 2003-04 academic session at each of the 19 institutions out of which 11 are Govt higher secondaries, two privately run higher secondaries and six non-Govt colleges, enumerated the Secretary.

Govt higher secondaries where the number of students do not reach ten are Nimaichand Hr Sec, Thoubal (6-Arts); Singjamei Girls (5-Arts); Ch Iboyaima, Imphal (7-Science); Langmeidong hr Sec ((3-Arts); Moijing Hr Sec (1-Arts); Wabagai (6-Science); Thanga (5-Arts); Sugnu (5-Arts); Somdal-Ukhrul (6-Arts); Praja-Lamshang (2-Arts); Sangyang-Ukhrul (8-Arts).The situation is also the same in two private higher secondaries namely - Institute of Rural Education, Wangjing and Patronized Immortality Hr Sec School, Sagolband where there are only one and five students respectively in Science streams.

A number of non Govt colleges are also in dire straits and their status as higher secondary institutions has become extremely uncertain as they have failed to attract students.

The colleges are, Pole Star College, Wabagai (8-Science); Kakching College (1-Arts & 7-Science); Kumbi (2-Science); Chingtam College, Sagang (1-Arts & 2-Science); Manipur Valley College, Akampat (2-Science); and Jiri College, Jiribam (9-Arts).Referring to these institutions, the Secretary said the Council has decided to issue notices to the authorities like governing bodies in case of non-Govt institutions to prepare for either amalgamation or degradation from higher secondaries to high school level from the current academic session.

Comment