SSC and Equivalent Exams Begin Tuesday with Over 1.85 Million Candidates

The Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations, the largest public examination at the secondary level in Bangladesh, will begin simultaneously across the country on Tuesday, April 21, at 10:00 am.

A total of 1,851,423 students under 11 education boards are scheduled to participate in this year’s examinations. Among them, 930,305 are male students, and 921,118 are female students.

Authorities have taken extensive preparations to ensure the examinations are conducted in a transparent and question–leak–free environment. For the first time, CCTV cameras have been installed at every examination centre to enhance security and monitoring.

Chairman of the Dhaka Education Board and President of the Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee, Professor Dr. Khandakar Ehsanul Kabir, said all necessary arrangements have already been completed to ensure smooth and secure examinations.

On the first day, the Bengali (compulsory) First Paper and Easy Bengali First Paper examinations will be held under the nine general education boards. Meanwhile, the Madrasah Education Board will conduct Qur’an Majid and Tajvid examinations, and the Technical Education Board will hold the Bengali Second Paper exam.

Statistics show that 1,412,476 candidates will sit for the SSC examination under the nine general education boards. Meanwhile, 304,286 students will participate in the Dakhil examination under the Madrasah Education Board and 134,660 candidates under the Technical Education Board.

The examinations will be held at 3,902 centres across the country involving students from 30,425 educational institutions.

Compared to last year, the total number of candidates has slightly decreased. In 2025, a total of 1,928,970 students participated, while this year the number stands at 1,851,423.

To ensure fair conduct of the examinations, the education board has issued a set of strict instructions to centre secretaries. Candidates must enter examination halls at least 30 minutes before the start of the exam, and only centre secretaries will be allowed to carry basic mobile phones without camera functions.

Other measures include appointing one invigilator for every 20 students, strict monitoring to prevent crowding outside centres, inspection of washrooms before exams, and police involvement in the transportation of question papers.

Education Minister Dr. A. N. M. Ehsanul Haque Milon said the government is determined to ensure that the SSC and equivalent examinations are conducted in a fair and peaceful environment.

According to the schedule, the written examinations will continue until May 20, while practical examinations will be held between June 7 and June 14.