HSC and equivalent exams begin on Nov 6

The Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations this year will begin on  November 6, announced Education Minister Dipu Moni on Wednesday.
A total of 1,203,407 students are expected to sit for the exams at 2,649 centres,
from 9,181 institutes under the 11 educational boards across the country this year.
Last year, some 1,399,690 students sat for their HSC and equivalent exams, the minister said during a press briefing in Dhaka on Wednesday.
Minster said, "No one, including politicians and other influential personalities, will be allowed to enter the exam halls. Only examinees, invigilators, monitoring teams from the ministry and boards, district and upazila officials and law enforcers can enter the exam halls "All coaching centres across the country will remain closed from  November 3 to December 14 in a bid to prevent question papers leak."
The HSC examinations for 2022 will be shorter, with fewer total marks, as per the Education Ministry's directives. Before the pandemic, HSC exams were three hours long.
The mark distribution for subjects that do not have any practical examinations will be: creative - 40 and multiple choice questions (MCQ) - 15. For subjects that have practical examinations, the distribution will be: creative - 30, MCQ - 15.
The exams are usually held in February and April but like in recent years, the government had to defer this year's SSC, HSC and equivalent examinations too, impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The SSC and HSC exams were held months behind schedule in November and December 2021 last year, due to the pandemic, following the resumption of in-person classes. Last year the syllabus was shortened and students were tested on three elective subjects only.
Before that, with the start of the pandemic, as all educational institutions were shut down in 2020 there were no HSC exams, and students secured automatic promotions.
In 2021, schools and colleges were again closed from January 21 to  February 6 for a second time, and later the closures were extended till February 21 this year.
High schools and colleges reopened on February 22 and primary schools resumed in-person classes from  March 2 this year.
The authorities have issued several guidelines for the candidates attending the exams.
It instructed the examinees to come at respective centres 30 minutes before the exam, to put their roll and registration numbers carefully, and not to fold answer sheets. Students would be allowed to use only general and scientific calculators but no calculating devices having other programmes.
Bringing mobile phones is strictly prohibited for the examinees. Only respective officials of the exam centres can use cell phones.