Page 60 - IJPS-11-2

International Journal of
Population Studies Spatial variation in examination performance

in addition to the literacy rate, which however does not in the social sphere (Maji & Sarkar, 2018). The diversity
necessarily reflect the real-life situation. Education helps in the population composition, particularly with respect
individuals develop intellectual skills (Idris et al., 2012), to ethnicity, accounts for the significant variations in the
enhance their judgment, reasoning capabilities, and power HSLC examination that varies from one community to
of exploration, acquire good habits and various other another in a given region. Several Sustainable Development
traits. Educational attainment has a great influence on Goals (SDGs) offer simple guidelines to help achieve
occupational stratification, overall social status (Idris et al., educational attainment, with SDG 4 envisaging inclusive
2012), socioeconomic mobility, and social stability (Tadese and equitable quality education and encouraging lifelong
et al., 2022). Thus, studies on educational attainment hold learning opportunities for all; SDG 5 promoting gender
considerable significance in dissecting the prevailing social equality; and SDG 10 aiming to reduce inequality within
situation and its impact on the overall status of a region. and among countries. To achieve these goals by 2030, it
is crucial for us to improve the academic performance of
Academic performance is one of the several components
of academic success (Masud et al., 2019). In India, students in different geographical regions at different levels
of examination, aligning with the core vision of the entire
performance in the High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) education system (Das, 2021).
Examination has a determining effect on the opportunity
to pursue a higher education and build a successful career. To achieve quality education against the backdrop of
Education affairs in India are primarily governed by the gender equality, focusing on improving the performance of
state governments. The significant differences in terms of students across all segments of society, particularly among
language, history, economic situation, and social structure the socially marginalized communities (SCs and STs)
presented by the states in India account for their distinct is necessary. The academic performance of the socially
patterns of educational achievement (Rudolph & Rudolph, marginalized students remains alarmingly worse compared
1969). Educational achievement in India varies significantly to those from the socially advanced communities in Assam.
across the country, depending upon the diversity of Hence, it is of utmost importance to study the status of,
population composition and social groups (Karak & Sen, and the spatial variation in, the performance of the socially
2017). The stark disparities in achievements are evident marginalized students in the HSLC examination to gain
among the socially marginalized communities such as the a sense of the underlying factors governing the progress
Scheduled Tribes (STs) (49.35%) and the Scheduled Castes of educational development in the state of Assam. This
(SCs) (56.46%), who have significantly lower literacy rates paper attempts to examine the spatial variation in the
than the socially advanced communities (68.19%) of India performance of the socially marginalized students in the
(2011 Census). HSLC examination held in Assam in 2022 from the angle
of gender, religion, and medium of instruction.
Inequality is a notoriously conspicuous attribute of
the Indian education system, reflected by a lopsided 2. Data and methods
distribution of education resources. This can be exemplified
by the presence of high tuition fee-charging private schools, In this study, we utilized raw data from HSLC and Assam
with English as the medium of instruction and improved High Madrassa School examination results of 2022
obtained from the Board of Secondary Education, Assam
facilities, catering to the rich and privileged families; and (SEBA). The data, which were in the comma-separated
the presence of government schools teaching in vernacular value format, were converted into the Statistical Package for
languages with insufficient facilities, poor infrastructure the Social Sciences format for analysis. Data pertaining to
(Gouda et al., 2013), an insufficient number of teachers, the HSLC examination alone were extracted, while the rest
and an uncongenial school environment, where most was ignored. The raw data provided information on seven
of the socially marginalized students study. Assam is socioeconomic categories: (i) General, (ii) Other Backward
no exception in this regard. There is a large-scale spatial Class, (iii) More Other Backward Class, (iv) SC, (v) ST
variation in the performance of students at various levels of (Plains), (vi) ST (Hills), and (vii) Tea Garden category.
examination throughout the state due to differences in the More Other Backward Class and Other Backward Class
availability of primary education and other basic amenities together constitute the backward classes, whereas the SC
(Kumari, 2013) in Assam. Academic achievement also and ST categories, as per articles 341 and 342 of the Indian
varies in terms of caste, gender, and other associated social Constitution, belong to the lower socioeconomic strata
background characteristics of the students (Mandal & and indigenous groups. For the present study, students
Sarkar, 2020; Brey et al., 2019). belonging to SC and ST communities were construed as
The demographic scenario in India is illustrated by the “socially marginalized students” for convenience. Since
vast disparities between different castes and communities the study aimed to portray the regional disparities among

Volume 11 Issue 2 (2025) 54 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.0886