SSC exams to align academic calendar

Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon has said that the government is considering holding the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations in December as part of a plan to align public exams with the regular academic calendar.

Speaking at a press conference in Dhaka on Sunday, the minister said no final decision has been made yet, but the proposal aims to ensure that students’ academic year runs properly from January to December.

He questioned delays in the education timeline, saying that students’ time should not be wasted unnecessarily. He added that since classes begin in January and end in December, it would be logical to conduct examinations after completing the full syllabus within the same year.

According to ministry sources, the government is reviewing whether both SSC and Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations can be completed by December 31 to restore discipline in the academic system.

Traditionally, SSC exams are held in February and HSC exams in April. However, the schedule has been disrupted since the COVID-19 pandemic, and delays have continued in recent years.

Currently, the 2026 SSC examinations are scheduled to begin on April 21, while the HSC exams are set to start on July 2. The education ministry is also considering measures such as extending class days to six days a week to ensure completion of the syllabus on time.

Officials, including Prime Minister’s adviser Mahdi Amin and Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education Director General (acting) Professor Khan Moinuddin Al Mahmud Sohel, were present at the briefing.