SSC 2027: Govt weighs March schedule instead of January

The SSC (Secondary School Certificate) examination of 2027 may be rescheduled to March instead of January, as the education authorities are reconsidering their initial plan to conduct the exam on 7 January.

The department is taking into account the upcoming holy Ramadan, Eid-ul-Fitr, and feedback from parents. Officials indicate that discussions are underway to commence the exams around mid-March.

Speaking about this, a high-ranking official from the education department told Prothom Alo on Wednesday that the possibility of holding the exams in March cannot be ruled out, given the religious observances and parental opinions.

With Ramadan expected to begin in the second week of February next year, the proposed schedule would place the SSC and equivalent examinations mid-March, following the conclusion of Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr. However, a final decision has yet to be made.

Previously in May, Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milan announced potential dates for both the SSC and HSC (Higher Secondary Certificate) examinations at a secretariat press conference.

The provisional schedule released at the time indicated that the 2027 SSC exams would run from 7 January to 6 February, while the HSC exams were slated for 6 June through 13 July.

The SSC, HSC, and equivalent tests remain the nation’s most critical public examinations, attempted annually by hundreds of thousands of students.

Standard procedure dictates that students sit for the SSC after finishing the tenth grade, with a similar structure applied to the HSC.

Historically, the SSC examinations commenced in early February, followed by the HSC in early April. However, this timetable was disrupted following the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2026, the SSC and equivalent exams began on 21 April, whereas the HSC and equivalent exams started in July.

To realign the academic cycle, the education department initially aimed to bring the dates forward. Earlier proposals suggested holding the 2027 exams in December, but this met with significant pushback from various stakeholders. Following consultation meetings, the department planned for a January schedule for SSC and a June timeline for HSC.

At present, the primary and secondary academic years run from January to December, whereas higher secondary and tertiary education calendars commence in July.

Educationists and experts emphasise the need for a synchronised national timeline across all academic levels to ensure consistency in examination schedules and result publications.