HSLC Exams may be scrapped from 2026 : Edn Minister

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Dec 24 : Education Minister Thounaojam Basantakumar has stated that High School Leaving Certificate Examinations may be done away with from 2026.
Speaking to media persons at DIPR auditorium, Keishampat today, Basantakumar said that with the HSLC Exam 2025 approaching fast, the Education Department has started necessary preparations to hold the exam successfully.
As per the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020, Class X examination will not be given extra importance rather classes IX to XII will be treated as a single unit. As such, Class XII examination conducted by Council of Higher Secondary Education Manipur (COHSEM) will be treated as the most important exam, the Education Minister said.
BOSEM will be erased steadily, he added.
Class X board exam has been erased and merged with the Council in Assam, he said.
NEP 2020 was drafted with a vision to do away with the Class X exam considering the intense competitiveness of the exam and its possible negative effects on the development of brains of young students in the age group of 14-15, Basantakumar said.
Grading system has already been introduced in HSLC Exam since 2024 and as such the names of the toppers were not declared.
BOSEM will conduct HSLC Exam 2025 as usual but the Government will take a decision on whether HSLC Exam 2026 shall be conducted or not, he said.
Clarifying on the controversy surrounding the appointment of one Akham Joykumar as the BOSEM Chairman, the Education Minister said that he was appointed as per rules after issuing a notification.
Although there was no practice of calling applications for the post of BOSEM Chairman in the past, the incumbent BJP Government invited applications from eligible candidates for the post, he said.
Five candidates submitted applications for the post and after considering all the applications, Akham Joykumar was selected as he turned out to be the most qualified for the particular post, Basantakumar said.
Reacting to the allegation that no DPC was held for the appointment of BOSEM Chairman, the Education Minister maintained that there is no need for holding DPC for appointment of BOSEM Chairman.
The appointment was made after studying and comparing the bio-data submitted by the candidates, he said.
On the allegation that Akham Joykumar who has already retired and crossed 60 years, Basantakumar pointed out that the State Cabinet adopted a decision on March 1, 2024 which says that eligible candidates can hold the post of BOSEM Chairman until he/she is 65 years.
Likewise, there is a Cabinet decision which says that one can hold the post of COHSEM Chairman until one reaches 65 years of age.
Assuring that the Government will take up befitting action, the Education Minister appealed to all the people to produce proof/evidence if the BOSEM Chairman or any other staff has committed wrongs.
Saying that the ongoing pen-down strike of BOSEM employees would seriously jeopardise the HSLC Exam 2025 which is scheduled to begin from February 20, Basantakumar appealed to the employees to call off their strike.
He also warned that disciplinary action will be initiated against the BOSEM employees if they violate rules.
The Government will take up necessary action in the interest of students and the exam will be held on schedule, he said.
Uniforms will be distributed to Government school students in time and textbooks will be made available to all students in time, Basantakumar said.
He further informed that due process is underway to appoint a regular Vice Chancellor of DM University and a regular VC will be appointed soon.