Guwahati, June 23 (IANS) Assam will introduce a supplementary Higher Secondary (HS) final examination from the upcoming academic session, allowing students who fail in a limited number of subjects to improve their performance without losing an entire academic year, Assam State School Education Board (ASSEB) Chairman Ramesh Chandra Jain announced on Tuesday.

Addressing the media, Jain said the supplementary examination will be conducted approximately two months after the declaration of HS final examination results.

The move is aimed at reducing academic loss for students and is in line with the reforms proposed under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

According to the ASSEB Chairman, students who are unable to clear the HS final examination in a few subjects will be eligible to appear in the supplementary test and continue their academic journey without waiting for the next annual examination cycle.

Jain said a similar system has already been implemented in several educational boards across the country and has yielded positive results by reducing dropout rates and providing students with a second opportunity within the same academic year.

He noted that Assam has begun the process of implementing the reform under the NEP framework and claimed that the state would be among the first in the country to introduce such a comprehensive supplementary examination mechanism at the Higher Secondary level.

The Chairman further stated that arrangements similar to those available for students appearing in the High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) examination would also be extended wherever necessary to ensure a smooth transition to the new system.

The announcement comes after the merger of the Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA), and the Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC), which led to the formation of the unified Assam State School Education Board. Jain, a retired IAS officer, was appointed as the first Chairman of the newly constituted board.

Educationists believe the initiative could significantly benefit students by providing an additional opportunity to clear examinations and pursue higher education without interruption, while also bringing Assam’s school education system closer to the objectives outlined in the National Education Policy.

—IANS

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