Published : 31 Aug 2026, 09:45 PM
Updated : 08 Sep 2026, 09:37 AM
Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon has said that it is not possible to conduct the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exams at the scheduled time due to the holy month of Ramadan.
He said that the public exams will be conducted after Ramadan to give students adequate time to prepare and the opportunity to review their studies.
The minister also said there is no reason to postpone the SSC exams further for now.
At a press conference at the Technical and Madrasah Education Division of the Ministry of Education on Monday afternoon, the minister said the overall situation was taken into account when determining the SSC exam schedule.
If the exams start in January, they will continue for a month and into the first week of February. Next year, Ramadan is to start on Feb 10 and continue until Mar 10. As a result, it is not possible for the exams to be held at that time, he said.
Noting that the main goal of the government is to bring the public examinations into a specific time frame, the minister said: "SSC examinations are usually held in the country during the monsoon or rainy season. Now plans are being made to bring the examination into a specific time frame. Similarly, the issue of conducting university admission examinations at a specific time in coordination with the SSC examination is also being considered. The case of students who go abroad for higher education is also considered when coordinating the country's education system schedule.
"Considering everything, February is considered the most suitable time for the SSC examination for Bangladesh. However, due to Ramadan, it is not possible to take the exam in February this time."
On May 14, Education Minister Milon announced that next year's SSC and equivalent exams would begin on Jan 7. The announcement led to heated discussion and criticism by educators, students, and guardians.
On Jun 2, while facing questions from reporters at the Secretariat, the education minister said that if the stakeholders call for it, the SSC date can be rescheduled from Jan 7.
Following that assurance, it was after taking the opinions of examinees and guardians into consideration to start the exams on Mar 14, after the holy month of Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr.
Asked about bringing the exam schedule forward to before Ramadan, Milon said: "The issue of bringing the exam forward was considered at the request of the stakeholders concerned. But it has been seen that even though Class 10 students have completed their classes and syllabus, there is not sufficient time for Class 9 students to review their studies. This review process is also important for students.
"If the exam is held after Ramadan, it will be quite late. Since Ramadan is a reality, the schedule will have to be adjusted accordingly. If the exam is held in January, the students in Class 9 will not get enough time to review their studies."
Although a plan was in place to bring the exam forward, after considering everything and discussing the matter with those concerned, the minister said it was not possible next year due to the Ramadan timing.
He said, "The government does not want to harm the students in any way. They have to be given enough time, especially to review their studies. Therefore, after considering all aspects, it has been decided once again that the SSC exam will be held after Ramadan.
"Some have talked about holding the exam before Ramadan. But the reality is that is not possible."
Noting that there is no possibility of postponing the SSC exam further, the education minister said: "There is no reason to postpone the exam for now. Unless special circumstances arise at the national level, there is no reason to postpone the exam at present. Students have been given enough time to prepare. They were informed about the exam about a year and a half ago, and they are preparing accordingly."
