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The HSC and equivalent examinations are set to begin tomorrow, Thursday (July 2). This year, the examinations will be held with a unified question paper across all education boards in the country. Special security measures have been implemented to prevent question paper leaks. The Inter-Education Board Coordination Board has stated that there is no possibility of question leaks and all preparations for conducting the examinations in a fair and malpractice-free environment have been completed.
This year, 1,270,583 students are participating in the HSC and equivalent examinations, which is 19,472 more than last year. Among them, 1,069,714 candidates are from the nine general education boards. An additional 200,869 students are taking part from the Madrasa and Technical Education Boards.
Starting with the Bengali First Paper examination, a total of 2,997 centers across the country will host the exams. Out of these, 145 centers have been identified as risky, with 40 of them located in the capital, Dhaka.
To ensure the smooth conduct of the examinations, education authorities have issued 35 directives, covering aspects such as question paper distribution, answer script preservation, use of approved calculators, inspection of center washrooms, and prevention of cheating.
Professor Syed Akhtaruzzaman, President of the Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee, stated, “There is no scope for question paper leaks. If a question paper leak somehow occurs, the examination for that day will be postponed nationwide, and a re-examination will be conducted with new question papers.”
Education Minister Dr. Anm Ehsanul Haque Milan has announced that if any incident of malpractice is caught at an examination center, not only the examinee but also the head of the concerned educational institution will face action.
According to educationists, the initiative to conduct examinations with a unified question paper across all boards is positive. However, preventing question paper leaks entirely and ensuring consistent answer script evaluation across all boards will be the biggest challenge.
This year, the written HSC and equivalent examinations will run from July 2 to August 8. The practical examinations will then conclude by August 15.