Over 1.65 million students to sit for SSC, equivalent exams from Monday

The Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations begin on Monday.

A little over 1.65 million students from 28,119 institutions under eight boards of education are appearing for the exams this year.

Monday's tests will begin at 10am in 3,143 centres across Bangladesh. A total of 404 students will also take the exams from eight centres abroad.

This year, girls (661,767) outnumber boys (642,507) in the school-leaving exams.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has changed the venue of Monday’s Cabinet meeting to help the students reach their examination centres without encountering security hurdles and traffic jams.

She has also decided to leave her Ganabhaban residence at 10:30am, half an hour after the beginning of the exams.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid is scheduled to visit Tejgaon Government Girls' High School after the tests begin on Monday morning.

For the first time, students this year will have to answer the multiple choice questions (MCQ) first, followed by the creative or written part.

There will be a 10-minute break between the two parts.

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Until now, students had answered the creative or written part first. But the education ministry has made the new move to prevent question paper leaks.

Written tests will be held between Feb 1 and Mar 8, while practical tests will be taken between Mar 9 and 14.

Students with disabilities will get 20 extra minutes to complete the exams with the help of their scribes.

Special children with autism or down syndrome or cerebral palsy will get an extra 30 minutes and will be allowed to be accompanied by parents, a teacher or a helper.

The education minister announced earlier that the results would be published within 60 days of the exams.