The Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations will begin on 6 November. 

The Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education released the exam routine Monday (12 September). 

Around 14 lakh examinees are expected to sit for the examinations at 2,621 centres, from 9,183 institutes under the 11 educational boards across the country.

The HSC examinations for 2022 will be shorter, with fewer total marks, per the education ministry's directives.

As per the decision taken by the Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee, the exams will take place for two hours (1.4 hours for written exams and 20 minutes for MCQ). Before the pandemic, HSC exams were three hours long.

The mark distribution for subjects that do not have any practical examinations will be: Creative - 40, Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) - 15 (total- 55). For subjects that have practical examinations, the distribution will be: Creative - 30, MCQ - 15 (total 45).

The exams are usually held in February and April but like in recent previous years, the government had to defer this year's SSC, HSC and equivalent examinations too, impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The SSC and HSC exams were held months behind schedule in November and December 2021 last year, due to the pandemic, following the resumption of in-person classes. Last year the syllabus was shortened and students were tested on three elective subjects only.

Before that, with the start of the pandemic, all educational institutions were shut down in 2020, there were no HSC exams, and students were promoted automatically.

In 2021, schools and colleges were again closed from 21 January to 6 February for a second time, and later the closures were extended till 21 February this year.

High schools and colleges reopened on 22 February and primary schools resumed in-person classes from 2 March this year.

Guidelines for candidates

The authorities have issued several guidelines for the candidates attending the exams.

It urged the examinees to arrive at respective centres 30 minutes before the exam, to put their roll and registration numbers carefully, and not to fold answer sheets. Students would be allowed to use only general and scientific calculators but no calculating devices having other programmes. 

Bringing mobile phones is strictly prohibited for the examinees. Only respective officials of the exam centres can use cell phones.