Exam to be retaken if necessary, full marks for erroneous Physics questions: Edu Minister

Due to errors in the physics questions of the HSC exam, students will receive full marks.

In centres where issues have occurred, re-examinations will be conducted if necessary.

With such assurances, Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon has requested the protesting students to leave the streets and return to their study tables.

In response to two supplementary questions in the National Parliament today, Tuesday, amidst ongoing student protests in Dhaka and other places, the Education Minister provided this assurance.

Regarding the decision to hold exams yesterday despite adverse weather conditions, he mentioned that the responsible authorities had anticipated good weather, hence the exams were maintained.

Acknowledging mistakes in questions 6 and 7 of the physics exam, the Education Minister stated that students would be given full marks for these questions.

Addressing the students, the minister said, "I encourage students to return to their study tables. We are more concerned than they are about conducting the exams properly and managing these disasters. We assure that in centres where there were errors, there is provision for re-examinations. "

Amidst the monsoon, HSC and equivalent exams are currently being held across the country. Although exams for 13, 15, and 16 July under the Chittagong board were postponed due to flooding, exams for other boards are continuing as scheduled.

Yesterday, amidst heavy rain, students faced difficulties attending the exams. On that day, exams for Physics (first paper) for science, Logic (first paper) for humanities, and Accounting (first paper) for business education were held. Students reported two errors in the physics question paper.

The decision to hold exams during the disaster led to unrest among students and parents yesterday, with protests erupting in various districts, including Dhaka, on Tuesday morning. During these protests, demands for the Education Minister's resignation were made.

In this situation, during the parliamentary session chaired by Deputy Speaker Kaysar Kamal, in response to a supplementary question from Jamaat MP Shafiqul Islam Masood, the Education Minister was asked about the government’s initiatives to appease the students’ grievances.

In his response, Education Minister Ehsanul Hoque Milon said they were concerned about holding exams during the monsoon season. Immediate relocation of exam centres in case of flooding has been delegated to the local administration.

Due to heavy rainfall in Cumilla yesterday, an incident where students had to attend the exams by boat garnered significant attention.

Referring to this incident in Cumilla, the Education Minister mentioned that, apart from this, there wasn’t much water accumulation elsewhere, and a few centres were promptly relocated. Provisions for student convenience were made.

He stated they were continuously monitoring the situation out of concern.
Nevertheless, where students have been affected, Ehsanul Hoque stated the remedial actions, mentioning that providing compensation to affected students is not a major task for them. The exams have been halted in many places, and they have a reserve question set, allowing them to retake the exams. They are also reassessing if the exams couldn’t be conducted due to administration weaknesses after water intrusion into educational institutions, and re-examinations can be organised if required. This measure has been implemented in the Chittagong board.

He conveyed to the students, "The students are the future of our nation. We cannot and will not deprive them. "

In response to an independent MP Rumeen Farhana's supplementary question, which highlighted the neglect of students' requests, she pointed out that major cities, including Dhaka and Chattogram, were submerged in water for the last three to four days. Students requested a postponement of the exams, but the decision wasn't made, leading to today’s protests in Dhaka.

She inquired about what problems could arise if an important exam like the HSC was deferred by one or two days.

In response, Ehsanul Hoque Milon explained that exams are conducted simultaneously across the country. There are approximately 2,700 HSC examination centres and exams start concurrently in all 64 districts. After the Chattogram floods, exams were successively postponed in Rangamati, Bandarban, Khagrachari, and then for the entire Chittagong board.

He mentioned that the weather situation was regularly monitored, contacting superintendents of police in all 64 districts, the divisional commissioners of eight divisions, and the chairpersons of every education board, along with coordinating with the meteorological department. They were informed that there would be no more rain. After observing the situation until 5 PM, decisions were made, and all relevant parties said the weather would remain fine, leading to the continuation of exams.

The Education Minister mentioned that they themselves took action after seeing rain in the morning.

He explained, "Waking up in the morning, I saw the ground of Cumilla Government Women's College was submerged. Immediately, we instructed the mayor, fire service, police, and district administration to arrange the relocation of the exam centre. Later, examinees were taken to the school’s five-story building by boat for the exam. "

The Education Minister reported no other disaster-related problems elsewhere after consulting district commissioners across the country.

He commented that this incident occurred solely at Cumilla Government Women's College. Clothes for a girl whose clothes got wet were brought from her home. She was allowed to take the exam an hour later and given extended time for the exam.

The Education Minister shared that the local administration—deputy commissioner, UNO, and police administration—can instantly decide if conducting exams at any centre is feasible. They can postpone exams if necessary.

The decision to continue exams was made following discussions with them.
At this stage, the Education Minister mentioned errors in questions 6 and 7 of the physics paper, assuring that students would receive full marks for those incorrect questions.

In response to a question by Golam Rasul from Jeshore-4, the Education Minister Ehsanul Hoque Milon said approximately 25, 000 Qawmi madrasas exist in the country, enrolling around 7 million students.

The Minister further stated that there are 65, 569 primary schools with 9, 958, 246 students; 32, 663 kindergartens with 6, 089, 313 students; 9, 295 attached Ebtedayee madrasas with around 1. 5 million students; 7, 528 independent Ebtedayee madrasas hosting approximately 1 million students.