Students, teachers and parents had to wait a long when this year’s HSC and equivalent examinations would be held in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic. This now came to an end with the statement of the Education Minister on Wednesday, October 7. When students and other stakeholders were eagerly waiting to know the possible date and instructions for the examinations to be held, Education Minister’s speech left a new message beyond the expectations of many. Our minister, however, has put forward several arguments behind the cancellation of this year’s HSC exams. No doubt, the pandemic has not eliminated yet, that saving lives is still the biggest challenge is true.
As the results of the previous years of HSC examinations in the country show that the pass rate in HSC is lower than that of SSC, the backward students and their parents are now happy. Again, the students who failed in making expected results in JSC and SSC were busy to make up for their past losses by studying relentlessly for two years in HSC with good results. With such an announcement, these students have lost hope, because many of them could have done better in HSC now.
Therefore, determining the results of HSC examinations based on the results of JSC and SSC examinations may not be rational even if it is somewhat logical at this pandemic-stricken moment. The authorities could have observed the situation and waited a few more days. Or, abridging the HSC syllabus with arranging just two or three exams on compulsory subjects, at least the merit of the students could be assessed. In this case, by doubling or tripling the number of examination centers, the students under science, humanities and business groups could be tested on different days or at different times in compliance with the hygiene. This may have prolonged the academic year but it would not have been impossible to reduce the subsequent academic years by a month or two to have a balance later. However, the government is now reluctant to choose alternative approaches as the issue of health and life risk of students has been given top priority.
Since the decision has already been taken and the government may not reconsider this decision, the government or the universities need to think about the future of higher education for these students. As the results of HSC will be based on the results of JSC and SSC, it can be assumed that all the students who registered themselves for the HSC exam have passed 100%. And if the rate of pass becomes 100%, the competition for admission in higher education, especially in public universities, engineering universities and medical colleges, will undoubtedly be much higher this year than that of other years.
The merit list for admission in higher education is usually determined by adding a grade or point of the SSC and HSC examination results along with the marks obtained in the university admission tests. Now, if the results of HSC are based on the results of JSC and SSC, then I do not think that there is any reason to add SSC and HSC points or grades in the admission tests of public universities of the country this year. In this case MCQ or written test of 50 or 100 marks can be taken separately on the syllabus of compulsory subjects of HSC examination along with the conventional admission test systems of public universities.
I firmly believe that by adding the marks obtained in the examination on compulsory subjects in HSC along with the marks obtained in the conventional admission test, the merit list of admission test for universities can be made and thus the deserving qualified students will get a place in higher education. But to materialize this, the university authorities will have to remain under tremendous work-pressure. However, for a long time there was talk of admission in public universities in a cluster system and it is known that considerable progress has been made in this regard. If the admission tests are conducted in an integrated or cluster system with the dedicated efforts of all, it will not be a difficult task to conduct the admission tests in the mentioned method only for this year.
On the other hand, there are many students who had registered themselves as improvement examinees for the HSC exam this year and were preparing to participate in the exam. It is also necessary to clarify how their issue will be solved. Though many students and parents are now free from worries for the announcement of cancellation of HSC exams this time, frustration and uncertainty is being created in the minds of many students including those who failed to get the expected results in JSC and SSC.
There is also a hint of forming an expert committee to help prepare the results of the HSC exams with the aim of publishing the results in December. This very committee is expected to work consciously with its necessary recommendations to ensure that the students who have changed groups in between humanities, science and business education at HSC level are not harmed in any way in terms of results. The future of a student in higher education is determined after his or her HSC examination. Therefore, it is desirable that only qualified students will get scope in higher education through proper evaluation of merit.
(Mr. Badrul is Assistant Professor, Department of English, Ishakha
International University.
E-mail: [email protected])
