Published : 15 Nov 2026, 08:42 PM
Updated : 15 Nov 2026, 08:42 PM
More than 56,000 students who failed one or two subjects in this year’s Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations have let the deadline for supplementary exam applications pass without signing up for a second attempt.
Of the 422,905 students eligible to sit the exams, only 365,911 applied, Dhaka education board Chairman Prof Syed Aktaruzzaman told bdnews24.com on Sunday.
Some 298,040 students failed one subject, while 124,865 failed two.
Applications were accepted from Nov 5 to 9, with the deadline for paying fees set for Nov 10. The supplementary examinations are due to take place from Dec 1 to 15.
The figures come after the HSC and equivalent examinations recorded a pass rate of just 52.12 percent, the lowest in 22 years.
Prof Md Abdus Salam, of the Dhaka University’s Institute of Education and Research, said financial hardship, declining confidence and the need to earn a living could explain why so many students had not applied.
For some families, paying the application fee for another attempt may simply be too much, he said.
“One factor could be the financial distress or hardship faced by the students' families, making it somewhat burdensome for them to pay the application fee for the same examination again.”
Students who have already failed may also struggle to find the motivation to prepare for another examination within such a short time, he added.
“The shift toward economic activities is a major reason why a significant number of students end up dropping out.”
Prof Salam said some students were reluctant to pursue further opportunities despite being given another chance, partly because of financial constraints and partly because they were unaware of the options available.
