Record attainments in SSC results

THIS year's near-cent percent pass rate and a very high number of GPA-5 achievers in all streams of SSC examinations may have been cheery news on an overall basis. Failed faces are hard to come by; there is celebrative mood all around, even an auspicious ring to it. One could very well ask: If this is not progress, then what is? Quite true, but what we do need to see is whether we have promoted quantity over quality.
It is all very good that objective and creative content of curricula and question papers impelled text book reading and comprehension. This reduced dependence on note books or so-called made-easy guides and, one would expect, learning by rote as well. As contributory factors extra classes having been taken with emphasis on Maths and English  are being highlighted as a pointer to  due diligence on the part of teachers. On the positive side, the gaps between rural-urban schools are said to be diminishing but some 22 urban schools remain the most high-performing ones. At the other extreme are 24 schools from which none passed.
On the flipside, one cannot brush aside the leakage of question papers that has a negative impact on the quality of results. It has been reported many a rural school evaluated the scripts leniently so as not to lose MPO status.
In the end, whilst we wholeheartedly congratulate the successful candidates, especially the high achievers, we have reasons to worry over a large number vying for placement in a limited number of good colleges.