Over 1.65 million students across Bangladesh taking SSC, equivalent exams

A little over 1.65 million students from 28,119 institutions are taking the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations.

Monday's tests began 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 snarls.

She has also left her Ganabhaban residence half an hour after the exams started.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid visited the exam centre at Tejgaon Government Girls' High School after the tests began.

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.

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 had said that the results would be published within 60 days of the exams.