The number of GPA-5 achievers has almost halved compared to last year, while the pass rate has also decreased in the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations this year.
The combined pass rate of the 11 education boards this year is 78.64%, which is 7.31 percentage points lower than last year, as the combined pass rate was 85.95% in 2022.
"Last time the exam was easy because there were fewer subjects, less time, and fewer marks in the exam," Education Minister Dipu Moni told reporters when asked about the reason for the low pass rate at a press conference on Sunday.
She said: "This time, the exam was held based on full marks and full time, and the exam has also become relatively difficult. As a result, the pass rate and GPA-5 rate decreased slightly."
The results are decent if compared to the pre-Covid period, the minister added.
Talking with Dhaka Tribune, some teachers under the Dhaka, Sylhet, and Rajshahi boards said candidates this year did not have in-person classes while they were in grades nine and ten due to Covid-19, which might have had an impact on the result and pass rate.
Notre Dame College’s (NDC) Father Hemanto Pius Rozario told this reporter: "Those who have passed this year were in ninth-tenth class during the Covid period; their basic foundation was a little weak due to online classes, which has had a negative impact on their results."
Emeritus Professor Manzoor Ahmed thinks that this difference in results depends on the method of study.
“Students who do well by memorizing without understanding or following short suggestions or specific topics have not been getting good results in the exams or any tests,” he said.
The HSC exams in 2021 were held on fewer subjects with a shortened syllabus. The examinees took tests only in three optional subjects, and students did not have to sit for tests in compulsory subjects like Bangla and English. The exams also carried fewer marks.
The year before that, the exams for 2020 did not take place, and the results were prepared based on the candidates' performance in previous public exams. There was a 100% pass rate.
In 2022, examinations were held in a total of 12 papers, while 13 subjects were tested this year, including two compulsory, three optional, and one fourth subject except for Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
More than 1,357,915 students sat for the exams, and 1,067,852 of them passed, while 290,063 students did not get a passing grade.
According to sources, a total of 17,660 students registered for the exams but were absent.