Shillong, May 20: The Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBOSE) has opened the registration for Private Candidates wanting to sit for the next Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examination. The last date for registration is June 30, 2026.

In a notice issued today, the MBOSE stated that candidates who are eligible can contact the nearest SSLC examination centre and only notified SSLC examination centre are allowed to register Private Candidates.

The eligible candidates are those who have discontinued regular schooling due to genuine hardship, those who have exhausted all permissible attempts upto 2025, those who are pursuing professional sports and games, or those pursuing professional art forms.

Candidates must be citizens of Meghalaya and to prove that they have to submit one of these documents – MHIS card, MGNREGS job card, EPIC card, ration card, Adhhaar card, birth certificate, ST/SC certificate.

There will be no upper age limit for admission of a Private Candidate for SSLC examination. However, the candidate should have attained a minimum of 15 years on or before 31st December of the year which he or she proposes to appear for the SSLC examination.

Students who discontinued regular schooling before completing Class 10 will be eligible for admission as Private Candidates only after expiry of a minimum period calculated as ten years minus the last class studied.

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Since documentary evidence relating to the last class studied may not be readily available in the case of school dropout students, candidates pursuing professional sports or similar activities, home-schooled learners, or other traditional learners, the MBOSE said that in such cases the officer in charge of the SSLC examination centre should not rely solely on documentary proof of the last class studied for the purpose of admission as a Private Candidate.

“Greater emphasis shall instead be placed on the candidate’s academic preparedness and potential as assesed through the screening or competency assessment conducted by the examination centre in accordance with the guidelines prepared by the Board,” the MBOSE said.

It also stated that the cooling off period has been prescribed in order to discourage premature or strategic withdrawal from regular schooling for the sole purpose of appearing as a Private Candidate.

For example, a student who discontinued schooling after Class 8 shall be eligible to apply as a Private Candidate only after a minimum period of two years has lapsed from the date of discontinuation  of schooling.

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