Lungyihangle Nring, Arti Kumari, Snigdha Mukherjee, and
Vikhono Senotsu.
DIMAPUR — As the
Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE) announced the results for this year’s
HSLC and HSSLC exams on Friday, the female students kept alive the tradition of
outshining the boys by securing the Top 1 position in HSLC exam, HSSLC Science,
Commerce and Arts streams.
This year's top achievers—Lungyihangle Nring (HSLC), Arti
Kumari (HSSLC Commerce), Snigdha Mukherjee (HSSLC Science), and Vikhono Senotsu
(HSSLC Arts)—have attributed their remarkable success to a combination of factors,
including divine grace, unwavering support from their parents and teachers, and
the nurturing environment provided by their respective schools.
Lungyihangle Nring, a student of St Paul Higher Secondary
School Dimapur, emerged as the top ranker in the HSLC examination, securing an
impressive 98.67% with a total score of 592 out of 600.
“I expected to be around Top 5 but Top 1 was not expected,”
she confessed. Sharing insights into her study routine, Lungyihangle emphasised
a flexible approach, prioritising focused study sessions during her most
productive hours.
She typically dedicated around 4 to 5 hours each evening to
her studies. “I'm not a morning person, nor do I study late into the night. I
find that I can concentrate best during the evening hours,” she explained.
However, in the lead-up to the board exams, she
significantly ramped up her preparation, dedicating approximately 10-13 hours
daily to rigorous study. While Lungyihangle expressed a particular fondness for
mathematics, she admitted that English and Alternative English posed greater
challenges.
Rejecting the common perception of mathematics as a
difficult subject for Naga students, she argued that it is inherently
interesting. She credited her teachers' effective teaching methods and her own
determination to solve problems for her positive attitude towards the subject.
“Math is actually inquisitive, as its structure is such that
it gives problems for us to solve. Math is an easy subject if you spend more
time on it,” she asserted. Lungyihangle plans to pursue a career as an
oncologist.
Lungyihangle's mother, Inzine, who raised her and her two
siblings after the untimely passing of their father when Lungyihangle was in
UKG, expressed profound gratitude to the school, teachers, and their community
for the unwavering support and trust extended to her daughter.
YouTube was a tool
Arti Kumari of Ram Janaki Higher Secondary School Dimapur
secured the top position in the HSSLC Commerce stream with an outstanding score
of 94.60%, totalling 473 marks. She had previously secured the second position
in her HSLC examination.
Arti described the preparation period for the board exams as
stressful, citing limited alone time and the pressure to cover the entire
syllabus. She dedicated approximately 10-12 hours daily to her studies,
reducing this to 2-3 hours in the days leading up to the exams.
Recognising the prevalence of distractions in the lives of
Gen Z, Arti emphasised the importance of maintaining focus and prioritising
goals. According to her, distractions have become a part of life that is
difficult to avoid.
However, when you are determined towards your goal, you can
automatically avoid them; that's how I was able to stay focused on my studies,
she stated.
Interestingly, Arti revealed that she relied heavily on
YouTube as a valuable study resource. "YouTube is freely accessible, so I
used it for challenging topics. It became my best friend. However, for doubts,
I also trusted my teachers," she shared.
When questioned about combating distractions while using
YouTube, Arti acknowledged the inherent temptation but emphasised the
importance of setting boundaries and prioritising studies. "I disabled my
social media accounts and kept myself away from social media, even on
WhatsApp," she explained.
Arti's pursuit of academic excellence was fuelled by her
sister's dream for her success, which she embraced as a challenge. Aspiring to
become an advocate, she is currently preparing for the Common University
Entrance Test (CUET) exam.
Utilising school resources
Snigdha Mukherjee, a student of St. John Higher Secondary
Residential School Dimapur, secured the top position in the HSSLC Science
stream with a score of 93.40%, totalling 467 marks. She emphasised the
importance of taking her academic responsibilities seriously.
"I took my academics very seriously because that is how
a student should be; we have no other work than to study,” she affirmed.
Regarding time management, Snigdha stated that her study
schedule varied based on her daily commitments. When burdened with schoolwork,
tuition, and other activities, she typically studied at night.
During the intensive preparation period for the board exams,
she dedicated most of her time to studying, taking short breaks primarily for
sleep to allow her mind to rest.
Notably, Snigdha relied solely on the resources provided by
her school, eschewing external study aids. She plans to pursue a Bachelor of
Technology (B.Tech) degree in Computer Science.
Hard work ‘truly’ pays off
Nagaland Board of School Education’s Higher Secondary School
Leaving Certificate (HSSLC) Arts Stream topper, Vikhono Senotsu, secured 481
marks with an impressive 96.20%, also scoring the highest marks in the Tenyidie
subject.
Vikhono Senotsu, daughter of Seyielebi Senotsu, a catechist
at St Andrew Church, Jotsoma, and Keviyano Senotsu, is the youngest among five
children. Her feat is nothing short of extraordinary, especially as she is a
student of a government institution—Government Higher Secondary School,
Jotsoma.
Speaking to Eastern Mirror, Vikhono shared that she did her
schooling at St. Andrew School, Jotsoma, and completed her higher secondary
education at GHSS, Jotsoma.
Reacting to the results, she said, “I feel a mix of pride,
relief, and deep satisfaction,” and added, “Ultimately, it’s proof that hard
work truly pays off.”
When asked if she was expecting to top the exam, she said,
“I was expecting good results but was not expecting the top position.”
She also shared her experience and strategy in preparing for
the exam, stating that she did a lot of self-study and reading. She added, “I
studied the textbook a lot and made sure that I was well-prepared before the
exam came.”
Vikhono further shared, “I found Tenyidie the most
challenging.” She credited her parents for their support and said, “I gave more
of my time to the Tenyidie subject.”
“The encouragement from my (school) principal and my
teachers kept me motivated,” the arts stream topper added.
Aspiring to appear for competitive examinations, Vikhono
intends to take up political science as her honours subject at Sazolie College,
Phezhu, Jotsoma.
Encouraging other students, she said, “Give your best in
everything, be dedicated, and stay consistent in what you do.”
Furthermore, Vikhono had a message for those who may not
have done well this time: “As long as we give our everything, it doesn't matter
what number our ranks are.”
