HSC, equivalent exams to begin on 6 November

The Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations will begin on 6 November.

More than 12.03 lakh students are expected to sit for the exams at 2,649 centres, from 9,181 institutions under 11 educational boards across the country this year.

Last year, nearly 14 lakh students sat for the HSC and equivalent exams.

That means the number of examinees has decreased by around two lakh this year.

Disclosing the information at a press conference on Wednesday, Education Minister Dipu Moni said all coaching centres across the country will remain closed from 3 November to 14 December in a bid to prevent question papers from leaking.
"No one, including politicians and other influential personalities, will be allowed to enter exam halls. Only examinees, invigilators, monitoring teams from the ministry and boards, district and upazila officials, and law enforcers can enter exam halls," she told the conference at the education ministry.
Asked about the reason for fewer examinees, the minister said there are no irregular examinees this year as all the examinees passed the SSC exams in previous years.
The HSC examinations for 2022 will be shorter, with fewer total marks, as per the education ministry's directives. Before the pandemic, HSC exams were three-hour long.
The mark distribution for subjects that do not have any practical examinations will be creative – 40 and multiple choice questions (MCQs) – 15. For subjects that have practical examinations, the distribution will be creative – 30 and MCQ – 15.
The exams are usually held in February and April but like in recent previous years, the government had to defer this year's SSC, HSC and equivalent examinations too because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The SSC and HSC exams were held months behind their schedules in November and December 2021 last year, due to the pandemic, following the resumption of in-person classes.
Last year, the syllabus was shortened and students were tested on three elective subjects only.
Before that, with the start of the pandemic, as all educational institutions were shut down in 2020, there were no HSC exams, and students secured automatic promotions.
In 2021, schools and colleges were again closed from 21 January to 6 February for a second time, and later the closures were extended till 21 February this year.
High schools and colleges reopened on 22 February and primary schools resumed in-person classes on 2 March this year.
The authorities have issued several guidelines for the candidates attending the exams.
It urged the examinees to arrive at their respective centres 30 minutes before exams, to put their roll and registration numbers carefully, and not to fold answer sheets. Students would be allowed to use only general and scientific calculators but no calculating devices having other programmes.
Bringing mobile phones is strictly prohibited for the examinees. Only respective officials of the exam centres can use cell phones.