HSC exams begin peacefully under strict nationwide security.
Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations 2026 were held peacefully across the country on the first day in a festive atmosphere under tight security, with 100 percent CCTV surveillance and close monitoring by law enforcement agencies.
The examinations were held simultaneously between 10 am and 1pm at 2,697 examination centres nationwide.
For the first time, all nine general education boards are administering examinations using a uniform question paper. Previously, each board conducted the HSC examination with separate question papers.
Students under the nine general education boards sat for Bangla First Paper (compulsory), while candidates under the Madrasah Education Board took the Quran Majid examination, and those under the Technical Education Board appeared for Bangla-2.
The Education Ministry and the respective education boards expressed satisfaction that the first day's examinations concluded without any untoward incidents.
According to the ministry, a total of 1,270,583 candidates from 9,439 educational institutions under the nine general education boards, the Madrasah Education Board, and the Technical Education Board are participating in this year's examinations.
The data also show that, as in previous years, female candidates outnumber male candidates. Of the total examinees, 621,969 are male and 648,614 are female, meaning there are 26,645 more female candidates than male candidates sitting for the HSC and equivalent examinations this year.
Secretary of the Dhaka Education Board, Professor S.M. Kamal Uddin Haider, said the examinations under the nine boards using a common question paper were successfully completed on the very first day without any untoward incidents.
According to statistics released by the Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee, 838,864 out of 856,097 registered candidates appeared for the examinations at 1,620 centres under the nine general education boards.
A total of 17,233 candidates were absent, accounting for only 2 percent of the registered examinees. Meanwhile, 80,653 candidates under the Madrasah Education Board appeared at 460 centres, while 80,603 candidates under the Technical Education Board sat for the examinations at 611 centres.
The Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee stated that the overall examination environment across all 11 education boards was satisfactory on the first day. However, seven candidates were expelled for adopting unfair means. No invigilators were dismissed for negligence of duty.
According to the ministry, a central CCTV Camera Monitoring Cell was formed enabling officials at the control room in Dhaka to monitor examination centres live from anywhere in the country to ensure a transparent and unfair means free examination process.
In addition, police officers deployed at examination centres were equipped with body-worn cameras to help maintain law and order. To avoid traffic congestion around examination centres, candidates were required to enter the premises by 8:30 a.m.
The ministry also said that the highest level of security measures had been taken to protect the confidentiality of question papers. A dedicated cyber team has been working round the clock to prevent the circulation of fake question papers and any attempts to leak examination questions on social media.
The written examinations, covering 77 subjects over 21 days, will continue until August 8, while practical examinations must be completed by August 15. Regular classes at the respective educational institutions will continue on days when no examinations are scheduled.
