Edu minister wants to hold next SSC exams in Dec

The Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations of this year are starting tomorrow, Tuesday.

However, Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon wants to hold the next SSC examinations in December, stating that since the academic course begins in January and concludes in December, the examination will be conducted after the completion of the course.

The minister made these remarks while replying to queries from journalists at a press conference on the upcoming SSC and equivalent examinations at the ministry on Monday.

ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon did not mention any final decision on the matter.

The minister mentioned the plan to hold the next SSC examination in December while responding to journalists’ queries. He, however, did not mention any final decision on the matter.

The Ministry of Education is also planning whether it is possible to complete SSC and HSC examinations within December. To save students’ academic time, the ministry is working on preparations to take a series of reform measures, including examining the feasibility of completing these two public examinations by 31 December every year.

In a meeting held last month at the Ministry of Education, the Education and the Primary and Mass Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon, discussed these matters to ensure the smooth arrangement of the 2026 HSC and equivalent examinations. Later, this information was shared in a press release from the ministry.

SSC, HSC and equivalent examinations are the most important public examinations in the country. Every year, a large number of students across the country participate in these two exams. Currently, a student gets the opportunity to take the SSC exam in the year following the completion of Class 10. The situation is almost the same for HSC.

For a long time, SSC examinations were held at the beginning of February and HSC examinations at the beginning of April. However, since the Covid situation, this schedule has not been maintained; rather, it has been delayed further. For example, the SSC examination of 2026 is starting tomorrow, 21 April, and the HSC examination will start from 2 July.

At today’s press conference, journalists asked when the decision to hold the exams in December would be implemented—whether from next year or from 2028 or 2029. In reply, the minister said, “Why say 2028, 2029, or 2027? Didn’t classes start in January with the syllabus?” The journalists said yes. The minister then said that there has been some deviation, and that is why classes are being held six days a week. “…Will the syllabus be completed in December or not?”

Replying to another query, ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon said that if the course is completed in December, why should one year of the students’ lives be wasted? The journalists again asked whether the next SSC examination would then be in December. The minister replied that every examination will be held at its usual time.

In response to another question, the minister said that classes start in January and end in December. To be clearer, journalists asked whether the next SSC examination would be held this December. The minister replied, “When will the course end?” The journalists said December. The minister then said, “If the course starts in January and ends in December, then we will take the exam after finishing the course—what is there to know or not know about this?”