Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent exams for the academic session 2021-22 are being held from today. The exams will be held from 11am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm. This year, a total of 12,03,407 examinees are sitting for the exams. Of them, 6,22,769 are boys and 5,80,611 are girls. Read more: HSC exams to be held with shortened syllabus, question paper HSC, equivalent exams are being held in 2,649 centers and 9,181 institutions. Examinees will not be allowed to carry mobile phones or any other devices. According to the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education, written HSC exams will continue till December 13. Practical exams will be held from December 15 to 22. Examinees will have to sit for the HSC exams for three hours — for 100 marks — in all subjects. Students will have two hours to finish the exams — 20 minutes for multiple-choice questions (MCQs), and 1 hour and 40 minutes for creative questions (CQs). HSC exams are kicking off with Bangla first paper. All coaching centres across Bangladesh are closed from November 3 to December 14 as per the directives of the government. Read more: Over 12 lakh students expected to sit for HSC exams from Sunday Meanwhile, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has imposed a ban on the movement of anyone except Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSC) candidates and exam officials, within 200 yards of test centres in the capital. The DMP announced the new step in a statement Thursday. The public will be completely barred from travelling within 200 yards of test centres to ensure "proper and lawful" exams, according to DMP Commissioner Khandker Gulam Faruq.  

Some SSC examinees formed a human chain in Kurigram demanding investigation in question paper leak and timely completion of their exams. The students formed the human chain in front of Kurigram Press Club on Thursday morning.  “Despite repeated assurances from the Education Minister, questions got leaked at the Bhurungamari Nehal Uddin Girls High School center. We urge the authorities concerned to find out those responsible for the leak and take action against them,” said Zakiul Islam, a SSC examinee from Kurigram Government High School. The students also said that the question leak occurred due to utter failure of the administration and the law enforcement agencies. Read: SSC question paper leak: Three more held in Kurigram They demanded for holding the postponed exam within October 1. Copies of English 1st paper and 2nd paper of the ongoing SSC examinations went viral on Facebook and WhatsApp on Monday and Tuesday.   Lutfur Rahman, the headmaster and secretary of Bhurungamari Nehal Uddin Pilot High School, and two assistant teachers of the school- Zubaiyer Hossain and Aminur Rahman, Hamidul Islam, an assistant teacher of agricultural science, and Sohel Chowdhury, assistant teacher of Bangla and a peon of the school, Sujon have so far been arrested in this connection