Page 59 - IJPS-11-2

International Journal of

Population Studies

RESEARCH ARTICLE
Spatial variation in performance of socially

marginalized students in high school leaving
certificate examination 2022, in Assam, India

1
Heya Brahma , Sibani Basumatari , Jeemina Baglari , Bhobesh Daimary , and
2
1
1
Pralip Kumar Narzary *
1
1 Department of Geography, Bodoland University, Kokrajhar, Assam, India
2 Department of Education, Bodoland University, Kokrajhar, Assam, India

Abstract

Education is one of the pre-eminent avenues for improving the socioeconomic status
of marginalized communities. In India, performance in the High School Leaving
Certificate (HSLC) Examination dictates the opportunities for obtaining higher
education and building a successful career. Hence, the present study aims to explore
the spatial variation in the performance of socially marginalized students from Assam
in the HSLC Examination 2022, from the angle of gender, religion, and medium of
instruction. Data obtained from the Board of Secondary Education, Assam, were used
for calculating percentages, depicting spatial variation with the help of a choropleth
*Corresponding author: map, and illustrating the gender gap graphically. A significant spatial variation in the
Pralip Kumar Narzary performance of students in the HSLC examination was observed, with the range of
(pralipkn@gmail.com)
variation being much wider for the socially marginalized students. In most of the
Citation: Brahma, H., districts, the socially marginalized students underperformed compared to all other
Basumatari, S., Baglari, J.,
Daimary, B., and Narzary, P.K. students in general. Among the socially marginalized students, a gender gap in favor
(2025). Spatial variation in of males in the examination performance was detected in most of the districts in
performance of socially marginalized Assam, but in a few districts, an opposite phenomenon highlighting the gender
students in high school leaving
certificate examination 2022, in gap in favor of females was evident. There were distinct spatial variations in the
Assam, India. International Journal performance of the socially marginalized students in the HSLC examination across
of Population Studies, 11(2): 53-63. gender, religion, and medium of instruction. As education is an important pathway
https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.0886
through which socially marginalized groups can elevate their socioeconomic status,
Received: May 1, 2023 there is an urgent need for the authorities to improve their performance in the HSLC
Revised: July 13, 2023 examination.
Accepted: December 22, 2023
Keywords: Academic performance; Assam; Gender disparity; Spatial variation; Education
Published online: April 17, 2024
Copyright: © 2024 Author(s).
This is an Open-Access article
distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution 1. Introduction
License, permitting distribution,
and reproduction in any medium, Education is an important agent for the overall development of an individual as well as a
provided the original work is region. The development of a country is contingent on the power of education to catalyze
properly cited. the growth and nurture of skilled professionals who contribute and implement innovative
Publisher’s Note: AccScience ideas for the betterment of their nation. Education is a means which produces desirable
Publishing remains neutral with changes in human behavior, which have profound and positive implications on their way
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional and quality of life. It is also vital for the balanced development of a region. At present, the
affiliations. exact socioeconomic progress of an area is gauged by the overall educational attainment,

Volume 11 Issue 2 (2025) 53 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.0886