The Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent exams for 2024 will be held in February while Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent exams will be held in April, Education Minister Dipu Moni said today.

"For the past several years, the authorities concerned had to rearrange the academic calendar due to the Covid-19 pandemic and natural disaster, but it will be fully set from next year," she said.

The minister came up with the information while talking to reporters after visiting an SSC exam hall at Tejgaon College in Dhaka.

"We will try our level best to hold HSC exams in April and SSC exams in February, from next year," she added.

Dipu Moni claimed that there has been no question paper leak in public exams in the last five years. "We have been on alert to prevent question paper leaks since 2015 and I hope there will be no untoward incident during this year's HSC exams."

If anyone tried to spread rumours, law enforcement agencies will take stern action against them, she said.

HSC and equivalent exams for 2023 began across the country today.

Students sat for the Bangla first paper exam on the first day, at 10am.

A total of 13,59, 342 students — 6,88, 887 boys and 6,70,455 girls — are expected to sit for this year's HSC exams, 1,55,935 more than the previous year.

According to the routine, HSC written exams will continue till September 25 while practical exams will be held from September 26 to October 4.

The HSC exams are being held at 2,658 exam centres and 9,169 educational institutions.

Among the total students, 11,08,594 students will appear for HSC under the nine general education boards, 98,031 under the Madrasa board, and 1,52,717 under the Technical Education board.