Staff Reporter :
The remaining exams for this year’s Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent certifications have been officially cancelled following widespread student demonstrations.
The announcement was made by Professor Tapan Kumar Sarker, Chairman of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Dhaka, on Tuesday.
The decision comes after days of intense protests led by students who have been demanding that the postponed HSC exams not be taken at all, but instead be replaced with an “auto-pass” system.
The students argue that the ongoing movement and disruptions have made it impossible for them to prepare adequately for the exams, which were initially rescheduled due to the country’s socio-political situation.
Earlier in the day, hundreds of students gathered at the secretariat, chanting slogans and holding banners, demanding that the government cancel the remaining exams and instead base their final results on the exams that have already been completed before the onset of the movement.
Specifically, the students have called for their final grades to be determined by mapping their previous Secondary School Certificate (SSC) results to equivalent subjects in the HSC curriculum.
The protest escalated on Monday when students laid siege to the office of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education in Dhaka, bringing attention to their cause and forcing the education authorities to respond.
Professor Sarker stated that the board would decide on the process of preparing the results at a later date, acknowledging the unique challenges posed by the ongoing unrest.
“The decision to cancel the exams was not taken lightly, but the safety and well-being of the students is our top priority,” Sarker said in a brief statement.
He assured that the board is considering various options to ensure that students are not unfairly disadvantaged by the cancellation.
The protests are part of a larger student movement against perceived discrimination and a push for reform in the job quota system, which has disrupted academic activities across the country.
Students have voiced their frustration over what they see as systemic inequalities and the impact of the prolonged movement on their academic futures.
As the situation remains fluid, students and parents alike are anxiously awaiting further announcements from the education board on how the final results will be calculated and what this means for university admissions and future career prospects.
The cancellation of the exams marks a significant moment in the ongoing student movement, reflecting the growing power of student activism in shaping educational policy in Bangladesh.
However, it also raises critical questions about the long-term implications for the country’s education system and the value of its certifications in the eyes of employers and higher education institutions both domestically and abroad.
For now, the focus shifts to the education board’s next steps and how they will address the concerns of students while maintaining the integrity of the HSC examination process.