The Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and its equivalent examinations of 2019 have begun under 10 education boards across the country amid tough measures taken to check question paper leakage and other malpractices in the examinations.
The test started at 10pm on Monday (Apr 1) simultaneously across the country and at eight overseas centres.
Over 1.35 million students from 9,081 educational institutions have registered to sit for this year’s tests, the Education Ministry sources said.
Of them, over 664,000 are male and over 687,000 female students.
Over 1.13 million candidates are setting for the examinations under eight general education boards while another 88,000 under the Madrasa Education Board and 124,000 from the Technical Education Board. Some 43 examinees will appear in DIBS examination.
Besides, 275 students are appearing in the examinations from eight overseas centres. Candidates with physical disabilities will receive an additional 20 minutes in the examinations while the examinees with special needs, including those with autism, will get 30 additional minutes.
The written examinations will continue until May 11 while the practical examinations will be held from May 12 to May 21.
No one is allowed to take electronic devices into the centres. The officials in charge of the centres can take mobile phones inside, but not any with camera.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police have banned public movement within 200 yards of the centres.