After a 7-month delay caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and its equivalent examinations for the academic session 2020-21 will begin on Thursday, maintaining health protocols.
 
Some 13,99,690 students are expected to take the HSC and equivalent examinations this year while the number was 13,65,789 last year.
 
The number of candidates has increased by 33,901 with a growth rate of 2.48 percent.

Read:Maintain health protocols to keep HSC exams undisturbed: Dipu Moni
 
About 11,38,017 candidates will sit for the HSC exams under nine general education boards, 1,13,114 for Alim exams under Madrasa Education Board and 1,48,503 for vocational exams under Bangladesh Technical Education Board this year.
 
Besides, 406 students will take part in the examinations from abroad. Some 2,621 centres are ready to hold the HSC examinations across the country.
 
This year the SSC and the HSC examinations could not be held as per the schedules due to the Covid-19 pandemic and then the government decided to hold the examinations with shortened syllabuses.

The SSC and equivalent examinations that began on November 14 concluded on November 23while the HSC exams will conclude on December 30.
 
Besides, all coaching centres across the country will remain shut from November 25 to January 3 ahead of the exams.
 
Educational institutions across the country had remained closed since March last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the closure was extended several times.
 
Finally, the government reopened schools and colleges on September 13 following an improvement in the Covid-19 situation.

Read:Coaching centres to remain shut for 39 days as HSC exams begin on Dec 2
 
Last year’s HSC examinees were evaluated on the basis of their results of JSC and SSC exams, a decision which received a mixed reaction.
 
Education Minister Dipu Moni has urged all to maintain health protocols so that the HSC examinations can be held without any disruption.
 
“Concerns are growing as the new variant of coronavirus, ‘Omicron’, has been identified. It’s more infectious. We need to remain very careful,” she told a programme at Chandpur Press Club on Tuesday evening.
 
The minister, however, expressed dissatisfaction as many people are not wearing face masks. “We should follow the hygiene rules and avoid public gatherings to contain the spread of the virus so that we don’t have to postpone the HSC exams.”