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The narrow lanes of Sampara were abuzz. The sun scorched relentlessly, leaving the streets simmering. Yet, there is a soothing calm inside the modest single-room house of Dulla Chinnari, who shares the first rank with three other girls by scoring 596 out of 600 marks in the recently declared SSC Public Examination results.

“The feeling is overwhelming,” she says, twirling the ends of her long, neatly braided plaits as a neighbour drifts out after congratulating her. “But I knew that I would make a mark as I studied for nearly 14 hours every day,” she states with the confidence shaped by months of quiet determination. “I also practised lucida writing to pick up speed,” reveals the student of Zilla Parishad High School, Sampara, in Pedapudi mandal of Kakinada district, hinting at the care she took in perfecting even the smallest details.

Beam with pride

Her father, Dulla Srinivas, who had just returned from farm work, listened silently, beaming with pride, while Chinnari’s mother, Veera Veni, moved quietly around the house with a smile. “One of my teachers sent me a WhatsApp image of the front-page newspaper advertisement where our photographs were prominently displayed. That was indeed a wonderful reward,” Chinnari gushes.

Top scorers Sirigineedi Rishitha Lakshmi Niharika, Bavireddy Divya Teja Sri and Tanakanti Sai Sri are also basking in the glory of their academic achievements after securing 596 marks in the SSC examinations.

Niharika, a student of ZP High School in Samanthakurru village of B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district, comes from a humble background. Her father, Venkata Dura Rao, who earns a livelihood through painting work, expresses joy over the recognition. “Samanthakurru is a sleepy village, but it has suddenly come alive with people visiting our house and outsiders talking about our village,” he says, pointing out that several Education Department officials visited their home to congratulate and felicitate his daughter.

Teja Sri, who studied at ZP Girls High School in Kollur of Bapatla district, says she initially believed she secured top marks only at the mandal or district level. However, she was pleasantly surprised to learn that she had emerged as a State topper, a fact highlighted through a government advertisement featuring the toppers.

Sai Sri, a student of the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Andhra Pradesh Backward Classes Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society Girls School at Nerawada village in Kallur mandal of Kurnool district, also shares the achievement.

Both Niharika and Teja Sri say they aspire to crack the IIT entrance examinations and later prepare for the civil services, aiming “to make a difference at the grassroots”.

Promoting success stories

The government’s decision to publish a full front-page advertisement featuring photographs of 13 toppers from State-run schools has been widely appreciated. Many feel the move has given government school students their well-deserved recognition while also sending out a strong message that State-run schools are capable of competing with private institutions known for charging high fees and aggressively promoting their image.

The SSC results have brought to the fore several encouraging trends that signal a positive shift in the State’s school education landscape. This year, students in government schools recorded a significant improvement in Class 10 results, which officials attribute to strategic planning and implementation.

The overall pass percentage rose from last year’s 81.1% to 85.25% this year, with better performance reported across all categories of schools.

Girls outperformed boys by 5.22%, achieving a pass percentage of 87.90% compared to 82.68% for boys. Government schools also showed notable progress, with pass rates increasing from 72.8% to 78.39%. Among schools that recorded zero pass percentage, 11 were private institutions, while only five belonged to the government sector.

A 100-day action plan

Inspired by the ideals of Mahakavi Gurajada Apparao, a visionary writer and social reformer, who believed that education should be a tool for progress, the government designed the AP Model of Education to promote a modern pedagogical approach and the holistic development of students. “A key component of this initiative was a structured 100-day action plan implemented from December 6, 2025, to March 15, 2026, focusing on improving SSC outcomes,” Principal Secretary (Education) Kona Sasidhar says.

During this period, 46 slip tests were conducted without putting undue pressure on students. Marks were recorded and analysed through the LEAP mobile app using daily dashboards. Based on performance, students were categorised as “Shining Stars” and “Rising Stars”, enabling teachers to provide targeted academic support and subject-wise doubt clarification.

To strengthen preparation, the Education Department provided free model papers and question banks. Sasidhar says bilingual materials in Telugu and English, especially for non-language subjects, were distributed in a mirror-image format to aid understanding among students with varied learning abilities. Special 30-day residential programmes were also organised for academically weaker students. Additionally, pre-final and grand tests were conducted to reduce exam stress and boost confidence.

The government complemented these academic efforts with welfare measures, including nutritious mid-day meals and free supply of uniforms, books, bags, shoes and other essentials under the ‘Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Vidyarthi Mitra’ scheme, while financial assistance was offered to mothers under the ‘Thalliki Vandanam’ scheme.

Education Minister Nara Lokesh said the improved results were a collective achievement of teachers, officials and the government, while emphasising the need to further strengthen infrastructure, moral values and holistic education in government schools.

Beyond academics

Additionally, promotion of inclusivity has emerged as another commendable aspect of the reforms. The recent successful expedition to the Everest Base Camp by 21 children with special needs from various government-run institutions highlighted efforts to create equal opportunities and encourage students with disabilities to dream beyond conventional limits.

The team, comprising eight girls and 13 boys studying from Class 9 to Intermediate, departed for Kathmandu on April 15 and completed the 16-day expedition. The group was accompanied by mountaineers Sheikh Himanshu and Malavath Poorna, along with K. Shankaraiah from the Samagra Shiksha sports division.

Sixteen-year-old S. D. Rehana, a Class 9 student of Government Girls High School in Yemmiganur of Kurnool district, had several apprehensions when she was selected for the Everest Base Camp trek. A child with hearing and speech impairment, Rehana, expresses her emotions through her mother, Syed Muskan.

Rehana says she felt left out when others shared their experiences with officials and the media after returning, as she could not convey her joy. “Initially, I had constant pain in my legs, and my body froze. But I didn’t tell my group leaders or mentors fearing of being sent back,” she says. Despite the challenges, she cherishes the experience and is happy to have captured many photographs with her group. She says these are memories she will hold on to for life.

Gattam Vishwas, a visually challenged Class 10 student of Ramavarappadu Zilla Parishad High School in Vijayawada, fondly recalled his time at Namche Bazaar, the vibrant gateway to Mount Everest. “Perched at around 3,440 metres, the Sherpa town is very charming,” he says.

His father noted that Vishwas was initially reluctant to join the expedition, unsure about staying away from home for so long. “Now, he doesn’t like to stay at home,” he chuckles.

Supportive learning environment

Sustained efforts by the government, combined with the dedicated work of teachers and staff, have begun to yield tangible results. By diligently implementing strategies designed by experts, schools are creating a more focused and supportive learning environment. In turn, students are responding with determination and hard work, achieving impressive outcomes that reflect growing confidence in the public education system.

East-West Godavari teachers’ MLC B. Gopi Murthy feels that active parental involvement has proved to be a significant advantage, with teachers extending full support by strictly adhering to the academic calendar, “particularly the 100-day action plan, which has benefited students”.

“The government should now capitalise on these gains by focusing on increasing enrolment in State-run schools,” Murthy says.

However, he argues that schemes like Thalliki Vandanam, where benefits are extended to students in private schools too, and admissions under Section 12(1)(C) of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act are counterproductive to strengthening public education and call for a policy rethink.

He also raised concerns over GO 117 issued by the previous government, which reportedly led to a migration of students to private institutions. “Education stakeholders want the school merger policy to be reconsidered,” he says, suggesting that primary schools should continue independently with Classes 1 to 5.

Infrastructure gaps, he says, remain a concern, pointing to schools facing a shortage of classrooms. “There are schools where almost 70–80% of works under the Nadu-Nedu programme have been completed, and finishing the remaining works would significantly improve infrastructure in government schools,” he added.

Calls for Common School System

While acknowledging the efforts made in the right direction, stakeholders in the education sector continue to call for the implementation of the Common School System proposed by the Kothari Commission, which they argue is the most effective way to achieve an equitable education model free from disparities created by the private education system.

“India’s major failure in education is the non-implementation of a common school system, which the Kothari Commission identified as essential for nation-building. The current fragmented system deepens social divisions instead of promoting unity,” former Acharya Nagarjuna University Joint Registrar A. Jagannatha Rao says.

He argues that equitable, quality education requires a publicly funded common school system backed by a strong people’s movement and a clear policy framework.

People like C. A. Prasad, who has spent over four decades organising workshops for parents, teachers and students and promoting logical thinking among children through science clubs and exhibitions, believes that positive changes are indeed underway.

“While private schools have long relied on publicity, the government has rarely promoted its achievements. Highlighting students’ success through newspaper advertisements is a welcome step,” he says, adding that the fundamentals of school education still need strengthening.