HSC, equivalent exams begin

The Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations began on Thursday, after a break of a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The examinations for 2020 did not take place last year, with the results prepared based on the candidates' performance in previous public examinations.

The exams began at 10am at all centres across the country.

This year's examination, which will have fewer subjects and a shortened syllabus, is being held eight months later than the usual schedule as the government waited for the coronavirus transmission to come under control.

The examinees will have to take tests only in three optional subjects. They will not have to sit tests in compulsory subjects like Bangla and English. The exams will carry fewer marks. SSC and JSC tests will be taken into consideration while preparing the HSC results for this year.

Some 1,400,000 students are expected to participate in this year’s examinations while the number of candidates has gone up by 33,901 from last year. Of the examinees, 730,000 are boys and 670,000 are girls.

About 1,140,000 students will participate in the exams under nine general education boards, 113,000 under the madrasa education board and 148,000 under the technical education board.

The HSC exams will end on December 30.