Shillong’s century-old orphanage turned school dominates Meghalaya Class 12 results

A 117-year-old orphanage turned school in Shillong has virtually swept the Class 12 science and commerce results declared by the Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBoSE) on Thursday.

The success rate in Class 12 science exam dropped 2.18% from the 76.76% in 2017 while that in commerce increased by 7.97% from the 71.87% last year. While educationists feel the results could have been better, one school – St. Anthony’s Higher Secondary School, Shillong – is not complaining.

Of the 12 students who made it bagged the top 10 ranks in the science stream, 11 are from St. Anthony’s. Seven of a dozen figuring in the commerce top 10 list are from this school too.

Rishav Das topped the science stream with 480 marks, six more than second-placed Yash Agarwal and 14 more than third-placed Anuj Kundu – all from St. Anthony’s. Nishtha Barman Hajong from Don Bosco College in Tura, who secured the seventh position in the science stream, is the the lone student outside the school in the order-of-merit list.

“The results speak for the quality of teaching and the dedication of our teachers, as well as the desire of our students to do well from an iconic school that educates young minds to be honest citizens besides successful,” Fr Surjit Tigga, the school’s principal, said.

The Society of Divine Saviour or Savatorians had in 1901 established St. Anthony’s as an orphanage and a primary school. The Salesians of Don Bosco took over the school in 1922 and had it upgraded to a high school in 1931.

St. Edmund’s Higher Secondary School, the other iconic school in Shillong 13 years younger than St. Anthony’s, was the next best educational institute with three of its students figuring in the Class 12 commerce top 10.

St. Edmund’s Chongdeinem Guite secured the first position with 443 marks out of a total 500 followed by Yomiki Darryl Nongkynrih of St. Anthony’s with 436 and Uttam Sharma of BBS College, Shillong with 434.

T.K. Laloo, MBoSE’s controller of examinations, said schools in Shillong are the reason why East Khasi Hills district has performed the best in science stream with a success rate of 82.78%. But some districts, such as South Garo Hills with a success rate of only 16.67% have a lot of catching up to do.

In the commerce stream though, East Garo Hills district (93.75%) has fared much better than the East Khasi Hills district that scored 83.50%.