HSC exams begin today

The Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations begin simultaneously across the country on Thursday (July 2), marking the return to a full syllabus for the first time in five years after a prolonged period of shortened curricula introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A total of 1,270,583 candidates are taking part in this year's examinations under 11 education boards.

The exams will begin at 10:00am with the Bangla First Paper.

The examinations will be held at 2,697 centres nationwide, including 145 identified as high-risk, of which 40 are located in Dhaka. Candidates have been instructed to enter their respective examination centres at least 30 minutes before the start of each exam.

For the first time since the pandemic, students will sit examinations based on the complete syllabus. Meanwhile, the country's nine general education boards are conducting the exams using a common set of question papers.

Authorities have issued 35 directives to ensure the examinations are conducted fairly and smoothly. The measures include strict protocols for the distribution of question papers, preservation of answer scripts, use of approved calculators and inspection of examination centre facilities, including washrooms.

The government has also strengthened security to prevent cheating and unauthorized access to examination centres. Police personnel on duty will wear body-worn cameras, while CCTV cameras have been installed at every examination centre. In addition, the Ministry of Education has established a central monitoring cell to oversee examination activities across the country in real time.

To maintain law and order, police have prohibited the entry of anyone other than examinees and authorised personnel within 200 yards of examination centres throughout the examination period.

Education and Primary Education Adviser Dr. A N M Ehsanul Haque Milan warned that strict action would be taken against anyone involved in malpractice.

"If cheating is detected at any examination centre, action will be taken not only against the candidate but also against the head of the concerned educational institution," he said.

Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee President Prof. Syed Akhtaruzzaman also expressed confidence in the security arrangements, saying there was no possibility of question paper leaks.

He added that if any such incident were to occur, the examination would be suspended nationwide and rescheduled with a new set of question papers.