The Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and its equivalent examinations of 2015 began across the country today amid the ongoing countrywide indefinite transport blockade, enforced by the BNP-led 20-party alliance. This year, a total of 1,073,884 students under 10 education boards, including one madrasah and one technical board, are taking the examinations from 8,305 educational institutions. Of the total students, 570, 993 are boys and 502,891 girls. The examinations will be held at 2,419 centres across the country. This year, the number of total examinees has decreased by 67,490 from 1,141,374 last year. Some 241 students will sit for the examinations from seven overseas centres, too. Besides, a total of 8,86,933 students will take the examinations from eight general education boards while 84,360 from madrasah board, 98,247 from vocational and 4,344 from DIBS. The written examinations will end on June 11 and the practical examinations are scheduled to begin on June 13 and end by June 22. Meanwhile, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid on Tuesday once again said the examinations will be held as per the schedule. “We’ve decided to take the exams as per the schedule in any situation considering the demand, request and advice of guardians, teachers, examinees and people from all walks of life,” he said in a statement. Observing that it is not possible to take exams on Fridays and Saturdays like the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination, Nahid said, “If we do so, then it’ll take 4-5 months to complete the examinations.” He also asked the examinees to be more careful about their health during the examination time. Noting that an evil quarter is active in spreading rumour of question paper leak on social networking site Facebook, the minister said the government is alert to resist them. — Dhaka, Apr 1 (UNB)
