Over 300 Schools Post Near-Zero HSLC Results; ASSEB Warns Parents

More than 300 schools across Assam — both government and private — recorded near-zero pass rates in the HSLC Exam 2026, prompting the Assam State School Education Board to issue a public appeal urging parents to carefully examine schools before admitting their children.

The poor results have exposed deep and systemic problems in the state's school education system, affecting institutions in both the public and private sectors.

The Scale of the Failure

This year, a total of 4.38 lakh candidates appeared for the HSLC examinations. Of these, 2.81 lakh passed — meaning approximately 1.75 lakh students failed.

More than 100 government schools recorded an almost zero per cent pass rate among their candidates. In the private sector, over 200 schools posted similarly dismal results.

Also Read: Assam State School Education Board (ASSEB-II) opens HS transfer window till May 30

What Happens to Underperforming Schools

For private schools, the consequences can be severe. ASSEB guidelines stipulate that private institutions recording pass rates between 0 and 10 per cent for three consecutive years face cancellation of affiliation.

Last year, 46 private schools lost their affiliations on exactly these grounds. The board has now decided to monitor the 200 poorly performing private schools for the next two years — and if their results do not improve, their affiliations will be cancelled.

The situation is more complicated when it comes to government schools. ASSEB does not have the authority to cancel their affiliations. Instead, results are referred to the state government's education department, which has already issued show-cause notices to the headmasters of several underperforming government schools demanding an explanation for their poor outcomes. The salaries of many headmasters have also been withheld pending a response.

ASSEB's Five-Point Checklist for Parents

In response to the crisis, ASSEB has issued a practical checklist for parents evaluating schools — government or private — for their children.

Parents are advised to verify the qualifications and experience of the school's teaching staff; check the HSLC pass rates of the school over the past three to four years; confirm that the school is affiliated with a recognised board; ensure the school has a valid UDISE code; and assess whether the school has functioning laboratories that meet a reasonable standard.

The Problem Behind the Numbers

Sources point to structural issues on both sides of the education divide.

In rural areas, private schools have been mushrooming rapidly, driven by a widespread perception among parents that private education is inherently superior to government schooling. In practice, many of these schools hire underqualified teachers at low salaries, with little scrutiny of their academic credentials.

Government schools face a different but equally serious problem. A section of teachers in the government system lacks dedication, and many are routinely deployed by the government in non-educational activities — events and duties that take them away from classrooms and contribute to poor academic outcomes.

The HSLC results, in this sense, are not just a report card for students. They are a report card for the system itself — and the grades are not good.