Bangladesh is set to abandon its long-standing practice of holding Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations under different question papers across education boards, with the government deciding to introduce a single national question paper for all general education boards.
Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon announced the decision on Thursday, saying the move is aimed at ensuring fairness and uniform academic standards nationwide.
The reform will initially apply to SSC examinations and later be extended to Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations, creating a unified testing system for millions of students.
“In one Bangladesh, SSC or HSC examinations cannot be conducted with different question papers,” the minister said at a press briefing at the Secretariat.
He acknowledged that question standards currently vary among education boards, with some boards setting comparatively easier examinations and others more difficult ones, leading to disparities in student assessment.
The government believes a common question paper will create a more equitable evaluation system and bring Bangladesh closer to international examination practices such as O-Level and A-Level systems, where candidates sit for the same examinations regardless of location.
The announcement marks one of the most significant examination reforms in recent years and comes as the government pushes for broader changes aimed at reducing academic disruptions and eliminating session jams.
As part of that effort, authorities have already announced examination schedules a year in advance.
Under the new calendar, SSC examinations in 2027 will begin on January 7, while HSC examinations will start on June 6.
The minister also said the recently concluded SSC examinations were conducted smoothly and without any question paper leaks, crediting the cooperation of stakeholders involved in the process.
The results of this year’s SSC examinations are scheduled to be published on July 20.
Education officials say the unified examination system is expected to ensure greater consistency in student evaluation while strengthening confidence in the country’s public examination framework.