New curriculum allows college admission despite failing two SSC subjects

The National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) on Tuesday proposed several changes for the new curriculum, including the possibility of college admission for students who fail up to two subjects in the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exams.

Professor Md Moshiuzzaman, a member of the NCTB, confirmed the proposal to The Business Standard.

He said that the decision has been approved by the Curriculum Development and Revision Core Committee and the board itself and awaits final approval from the National Curriculum Coordination Committee.

Under this new system, students failing the SSC exam will have a chance to retake the failed subjects in subsequent SSC exams. They will be eligible for college admission while working towards passing the remaining subjects. 

However, they cannot attempt the Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSC) exam until all SSC subjects are cleared.

"This system is followed in many countries," explained Prof Moshiuzzaman. "Unforeseen circumstances can affect a student's performance. This proposal allows them to continue their education without losing a year."

The committee also emphasised the importance of attendance and evaluation methods. Students must maintain a 70% attendance record and achieve a passing grade based on a seven-point scale, with 65% weightage for written exams and 35% for activity-based assessments.

Prof Moshiuzzaman clarified that college admission despite failing SSC will come with conditions, including the aforementioned attendance and evaluation requirements.

The new curriculum will encompass various subjects like Bengali, English, Mathematics, Science, History and Social Science, Digital Technology, Life and Livelihood, Religious Education, Health Protection, Arts, and Culture.

The SSC exam under this curriculum will be held in December, with students required to stay at the exam centres for the entire 5-hour duration, with breaks allocated for each subject evaluation.