Staff Reporter :
The Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations-2017 begins today across the country.
A total of 11,83,686 examinees will take part in the examinations. Of them, 9,82,783 students will sit for the examinations under eight General Education Boards while 99,320 students will appear in the Alim examinations under the Madrasa Board.
The examinations will be held in two shifts from 10am to 1pm and from 2pm to 5pm. The theoretical examinations will conclude on May 15 to be followed by the practical examinations from May 16 to May 25.
The subjective questions will follow Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs).
Examinees will have a total of 30 minutes to answer the 30-mark MCQs and the time for the 70-mark subjective or creative part is 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Subjects that have a practical portion will carry 25 marks against 25 minutes of allotted time for MCQs while the time limit for subjective or creative portion in these subjects is 2 hours and 35 minutes.
Students can use ordinary scientific calculators, but not programmable calculators during the examinations.
Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid said that he was optimist that all the examinees would take part in the examination.
He also requested the guardians and the students not to try to collect any fake question papers from the syndicates.
Inter-Education Board Co-ordination Sub-committee President Professor Mahbubur Rahman told The New Nation that the total duration of the HSC and equivalent examinations would be curtailed further in the coming years.
