In sharp contrast to tall claims of ministers and senior education officials, 73 of the 323 government schools of Manipur recorded zero pass percentage in this year's High School Leaving Certificate (Class X) examination. Declared last week, the results showed that not a single student from the 73 government schools passed the examination. Of 6,484 students who appeared from 323 government schools, only 2,781 passed the examination conducted by the Board of Secondary Education Manipur (BSEM), putting the pass percentage figure of government schools at 42.8%.

Notably, one student each from 28 government schools passed the examination and none of the government school students managed to make it to the Top 20 list. Stunned by the disheartening results, education officials even mulled to abolish the zero pass performance of these schools.

In the past too, pass percentage in government schools was grim. In 2013, there were 28 government schools with zero pass percentage. The number rose to 48 in 2014 and 70 in 2015. Despite relentless efforts to upgrade government-run schools by the authorities, private schools continued to produce top-ranking students in the Matric examination conducted by the Board of Secondary Education, Manipur (BSEM).

Lack of sincerity of teachers in government schools, coupled with rampant corruption in the education department, are the key factors for the poor state of affairs in government schools, said experts.