Fears looms before HSC exams

The HSC and equivalent examinations begin on Wednesday amid security concerns over ongoing transport blockade called the BNP-led coalition, though the party has dropped the shutdown it had been pursuing since February.

A total of 1,073, 884 students will take this year’s tests at 2,419 centres in 305 educational institutions.

The exams will be held from 10am to 1om on Wednesday. 

The number of students taking this year’s higher secondary exams has dropped by 67,490.

The education ministry had been forced to defer 368 SSC and equivalent exams that were to be held over 16 days.

Many of them were held Friday and Saturday weekend holidays.

The BNP and its allies have been enforcing a continuous transport blockade since Jan 5 and declaring weekday shutdowns through most of February and March to press for an interim election.

The education ministry had announced earlier that the HSC exam would be held even if the BNP were to persist with its shutdown agitation.

Although there is no general strike on the first day of the exam, the students and their guardians are nevertheless apprehensive.

A total of 886,933 students of eight educational boards will take the HSC exams, while 84,360 will take the Alim exams under the madrasa board.

The HSC BM/Vocational exams will be taken by 98,247 students and another 4,344 will attend the DIBS exams, the vocational exams meant for madrasa students.

Of the total examinees, 570,933 are boys and 502,891 are girls.

Seven centres abroad will hold exams for 241 students - of whom, 110 are male and 131 female, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid has said.

This year, creative question set will be used for 25 subjects including Bangla, Chemistry, Physics, Chemistry, History and Islamic History, he said.

Students with disability would get 20 extra minutes to complete exams with the help of their scribes, said Nahid.