The Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations began across Bangladesh at 10:00 am today, Thursday.
A total of 1,270,583 candidates, including both regular and irregular examinees, are sitting the examinations this year.
However, an unusually high proportion of regular students—36 per cent—are not taking this year's HSC and equivalent examinations.
While it is common for some students to register for public examinations such as the SSC and HSC but ultimately not sit them, education experts say this year's absentee rate is exceptionally high.
According to data from the Ministry of Education and the education boards, around 1.5 million students who passed the SSC and equivalent examinations two years ago (2024–25 academic session) under the country's 11 education boards registered for Class XI. Of them, only about 950,000 completed registration for this year's HSC and equivalent examinations. As a result, nearly 550,000 regular students are not taking the examinations.
Last year, just over 29 per cent of regular HSC and equivalent candidates did not sit the examinations. This means the absentee rate has increased by nearly seven percentage points within a year. More than 425,000 registered students were absent from last year's examinations.
This year's examinations are being held at 2,697 centres nationwide. Speaking at a press conference at the Secretariat on Wednesday, Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon said the HSC examinations under the country's nine general education boards would be conducted using a common question paper.
From next year's examinations, common subjects, such as Bangla and English, under the Madrasah and Technical Education Boards will also be held using a common question paper, he added.
The minister also warned that anyone spreading misleading information about the examinations on social media would face immediate legal action.
The press conference was told that police officers on examination duty would be equipped with body-worn cameras. The written examinations will conclude within 21 days.
On days when no examinations are scheduled, regular classes will continue at educational institutions serving as examination centres.
