Bangladesh to start SSC exams Apr 30

The Secondary School Certificate and equivalent examinations this year will be held on all subjects but with an abbreviated syllabus

The Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee is planning to hold the Secondary School Certificate and equivalent examinations from Apr 30.

“We have sent the schedule for SSC and equivalent exams to the Education Ministry for its final approval. The exams will start on Apr 30, said Tapan Kumar Sarkar, chairman of the committee.

Prior to the pandemic, the SSC exams used to start in February. Last year's exams began on Sept 15, seven months behind schedule due to delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic and floods.

The government had previously said that the SSC exams this year will be held in April, two months later than the usual time, following the slowdown in the spread of COVID-19.

In light of the disruptions to learning in 2022, the tests were based on an abridged curriculum of limited subjects and the marks and exam duration were also reduced. But the government had previously announced that this year’s SSC tests will be held on an abbreviated syllabus.

Usually, SSC candidates have classes on 316 days and HSC examinees 330 days a year. The pandemic shutdown forced the government to cut the number of annual school days to 150 for SSC and 180 for HSC in 2022.

For this reason, although there will be exams in all subjects, they will be on an abbreviated syllabus.

As in 2022, 2023's SSC exams will be held according to the revised curriculum of 150 working days and HSC 180 working days, Education Minister Dipu Moni said on Apr 12.

Tapan hoped the exams will return to their regular form in 2024. "Class activities will continue in full swing from January."

“So there will no longer be abbreviated syllabi. From 2024, the exam will be conducted on the full syllabi.”

Nearly two million students are expected to sit for this year’s SSC tests, but the committee has yet to confirm the count.

The count will be confirmed before the exams begin, Tapan said, adding that measures will be taken to curb question paper leaks and maintain order during the tests.