Silchar: Assam education department has taken disciplinary action against 66 headmasters of govt and provincialised schools in Cachar district following poor performance in this year’s HSLC examinations, officials said.The crackdown comes after a sharp decline in pass percentages in the schools which recorded results below 20%. District education officials said showcause notices have been issued and salary cuts imposed on heads of underperforming institutions as part of an accountability drive.Cachar district registered the lowest performance in Assam in the 2026 HSLC examination, with a pass percentage of 49.13%, far below the state average of 65.62%.A district-level analysis revealed that at least six schools recorded pass percentages below 10%, while a significant number fell within the 10-30% range. Only a handful of schools managed to cross the 60% mark.Officials said 22 schools reported a 100% failure rate, raising serious concerns over academic standards. Infrastructural deficiencies, shortage of subject teachers, and lack of regular academic monitoring were identified as major factors behind the poor results.A senior official said the measures aim to fix responsibility and improve outcomes. “The objective is not merely punitive action but to ensure accountability and strengthen academic supervision in schools,” officials said.The department is planning corrective steps, including academic audits and targeted interventions in low-performing schools. Authorities said special focus will be given to improving performance in science and mathematics, where failure rates were particularly high.However, sections of the teaching community have expressed reservations, citing long-standing vacancies and inadequate infrastructure as key reasons for the decline. They urged the government to address systemic issues alongside disciplinary measures.Educationists said sustained improvement would require a balanced approach combining accountability with investments in resources and teacher support.The move has sparked a wider debate on the quality of school education in Cachar, with stakeholders calling for urgent reforms to arrest the decline in performance.
