Class 10 SSLC exam: 59-year-old Sylvester Shadap to appear after 37-year gap

Sylvester Shadap, a 59-year-old resident of Thadrang Umngem village in Ri Bhoi district, Meghalaya, is preparing to return to the examination hall in December 2026 to complete his Class 10 education. This marks his return to formal education 37 years after he was compelled to leave school in 1989 due to financial difficulties and family responsibilities.

Shadap is registered as a private candidate for the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examination under Meghalaya’s Second Chance Learning Programme. He is the oldest among 9,767 former school dropouts who have registered for the examination across all 12 districts of Meghalaya, with 15 candidates in the 50-59 age group.

Meghalaya’s Second Chance Learning Programme

The Second Chance Learning Programme is a joint initiative of the Meghalaya government, the Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBOSE), and the Meghalaya Programme for Adolescent Wellbeing, Empowerment and Resilience (MPOWER). The program has no upper age limit and offers a flexible route for learners to prepare and appear for the SSLC examination without returning to a conventional full-time school.

This initiative aims to support individuals who discontinued their education due to various circumstances, including financial difficulties, family responsibilities, migration, early marriage, or geographical barriers. The program aligns with the National Education Policy’s emphasis on flexible learning, inclusion, re-entry into education, and lifelong learning. Successful learners can be connected with higher secondary education, vocational education, and skills training.

Support and Curriculum for Learners

The program has established 171 notified learning and assessment centres across Meghalaya, including 185 registered learners at the Mawlasnai centre in Ri Bhoi. MBOSE is responsible for the academic and examination framework, while MPOWER supports community mobilisation, mentoring, registration, learner tracking, and follow-up. Free self-study materials are provided in Khasi, Garo, Mathematics, Science, Social Science, English, and Health.

Sylvester Shadap acknowledged the challenge of adapting to the current curriculum, which is substantially different from what he studied previously. He stated, “Adapting to the changes in the curriculum has definitely been a challenge. But I am determined to work hard for the exam and succeed.”

Motivation and Impact

Shadap expressed his motivation for returning to education, stating, “Returning for the SSLC examination is about setting an example. I want to encourage the children of this generation, my own family, and those who had dropped out of school.” He reflected on his past, saying, “Supporting my family was more important than school at that time. Years passed, but I always felt I had left something unfinished. I never imagined I would get another opportunity to complete my Class 10 at the age of 59.”

Macdonald Marabaniang, Director of the Shillong Regional Office of MBOSE, commented on the program’s reception: “The response to the Private SSLC pathway shows that many learners who had to leave school still want an opportunity to complete their education. We aim to make that opportunity accessible and give them a clear, recognised pathway to the SSLC examination. We hope these learners will use this opportunity to continue their education and take the next step towards their future.”

Further reading

• UP Board Class 12th previous year question papers available for download
• Karnataka SSLC Class 10 second language exam on September 29, question paper and answer key after test
• KSEAB: Download Class 9/SSLC mid-term answer keys after exams, Sep 23-30

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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