Our Bureau
SHILLONG/TURA/NONGPOH, May 4: Stories of academic success and personal perseverance resonated as toppers opened up after the fruition of their arduous preparations following the declaration of the Higher Secondary School Leaving Certificate (HSSLC) results by the Meghalaya Board of School Education on Monday (Check Toppers’ Lists on P-10).
Dechro M Marak, who secured 472 marks out of a possible 500 to top the Science stream, became the first person of Garo origin to take the top spot. Marak is the son of government employees and has an elder sister and a younger brother.
Talking about his achievement, he felt the honours should go to God, his parents, the principal of the college, his teachers as well as his friends.
Being the first from his community to position first in HSSLC Science was a huge motivation for Marak. “I hope that this inspires other students to aim higher and believe in themselves,” he said.
On his route to success, Marak studied 2-3 hours every day, consistently.
“I revised regularly and practised previous year questions and I regularly took short breaks in order to avoid stress and burnout.
Just before the exams, my study hours would stretch out to 4-5 hours. Consistency and revision was the key to my preparation,” he added.
Marak has recently appeared for this year’s NEET exams and will take a call on what to do in the future after the results are out.
He advised future aspirants to remain consistent and believe in themselves.
In his free time, Marak likes to watch videos and listen to music. He also plays football to relax and unwind.
10th position holder Aime Azora G Momin of Tura Don Bosco College HS School said she was overwhelmed with the success in the exams, while crediting her success to God, her parents, teachers and the principal who were her biggest supporters.
For her preparation, Momin said she did not follow a set routine but put in the hard yards early before taking it to close to 10-12 hours a day, two months before the exams.
The daughter of a government employee and businessman father, she too has appeared for NEET and would wait for the result before preparing for the future.
Momin, who loves to read books in her free time, felt consistency was the key to success in such exams, and suggested the same to those appearing in later years.
The toppers from the Commerce and Arts streams, while speaking to reporters, highlighted the importance of consistency in studies, support from family and teachers, and finding a study pattern that suits individual students.
Expressing happiness over the result, Priya Ghosh of St Edmund’s Higher Secondary School, who emerged as the topper in the Commerce stream, said years of sustained effort had finally paid off. She credited her parents, teachers and elder brother Suman Das for shaping not only her academic journey but also the values and discipline that guided her through school. Priya said consistency from Class XI laid the foundation for her achievement in Class XII, adding that a strong academic base is crucial for success in board examinations.
She also stressed that academic success should go hand in hand with personal growth. “Students should pursue what they love, give their best and also learn to be good human beings by helping and understanding others,” she said.
On the role of social media, Priya, who hopes to pursue research in finance with interest also in public service, said digital platforms can be useful if used wisely, particularly in broadening general knowledge. However, she added that she stayed away from social media during the two months leading up to the board examinations in order to remain focused.
Meanwhile, Joziah Daman Laloo of St Anthony’s Higher Secondary School secured the second position in the Arts stream said he was deeply grateful to God, his parents, teachers, family members and loved ones for their support throughout his academic journey.
He said the achievement was not an individual accomplishment but the result of collective encouragement and guidance. While he was confident of performing well, Joziah said he had not expected to secure a position in the merit list.
“I did not place expectations on myself because I did not want to be disappointed. I knew I would do well, but I did not expect a rank,” he said.
Sharing his advice for students, Joziah said there is no single formula for success.
He said students should not blindly copy the study habits of toppers but instead identify a study method that works for them personally and remain committed to it. He added that he studied when he felt most productive and took breaks whenever necessary.
Joziah said he plans to pursue English literature and hopes to become a professor in the future.
Rishika Debnath, also of St Anthony’s Higher Secondary School said board examinations often create unnecessary pressure among students and advised candidates to approach them like any other examination.
“Give your best, study properly and revise previous years’ question papers. That will help,” she said.
Rishika said she generally studied for one to two hours a day after tuition classes and credited her elder sister for playing a major role in her preparation.
According to her, her sister helped her throughout Classes XI and XII and stood by her even on the eve of examinations. She also revealed that she had suffered a fracture during the examination period, which had limited her preparation and made her uncertain about securing a rank.
“I did not expect to get a position. It feels like a dream come true,” she said.
Rishika now plans to pursue a Bachelor of Commerce degree and hopes to build a career as a chartered accountant.
Ri-Bhoi district also earned recognition in the HSSLC Arts stream results with two students securing positions in the Top 10.
Swastika Giri of Little Star Higher Secondary School, Baridua, secured the fifth position with 440 marks, while Starwell Ronghang of St. Paul’s Higher Secondary School, Nongpoh, claimed the ninth rank with 433 marks.
Swastika Giri credited her success to her teachers and the school management, particularly acknowledging school counsellor Megha Sharma for the guidance and support that helped her overcome academic challenges.
Starwell Ronghang attributed his milestone to hard work and the support of his family and teachers. He noted that achieving a rank required significant perseverance to overcome various obstacles during his studies.
