Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) students have called for the cancellation of their remaining exams.
They are also demanding that their final results be determined based on their Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exam scores.
Students formed a human chain at the Science Laboratory intersection in Dhaka on Sunday afternoon to press their demands, bringing traffic in the area to a standstill.
The protesting students argued that they were no longer mentally prepared to sit for the exams due to the ongoing situation. They called for the results of the remaining exams to be declared based on the exams that have already been conducted, adding that the HSC 2024 batch is being unfairly treated.
During the protest, they presented four key demands:
- No Forced Examinations: Considering the current circumstances, HSC candidates are mentally distressed. Many students have been injured while participating in the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. Alternative assessments should be arranged instead of the postponed exams.
- Time Wastage: As per the new routine, exam results are expected to be declared in December, which will lead to unnecessary delays.
- Alternative Assessment: The students argued that no board exam should last for 5-6 months, and an alternative assessment method should be introduced.
- Immediate Acceptance of Demands: The HSC examinees urged authorities to accept their demands without delay.
HSC students in Faridpur held a similar protest on Saturday, forming a human chain to voice the same demands.
The HSC and equivalent exams have been postponed multiple times due to the situation arising from the quota reform movement in government jobs and the student-led protests.
Initially, the exams scheduled for July 18, 21, 23, and 25 were postponed. Later, exams from July 28 to August 1 were also deferred. A revised schedule set the exams to start from August 11, but this was also postponed.
According to a source from the education board, after Sheikh Hasina resigned from the post of Prime Minister and left the country, the trunks containing question papers were damaged in attacks on police stations in various areas. This led to the postponement of the exams scheduled to start on August 11. The exams are now expected to begin on September 11.
As per the new schedule, the postponed written exams will be held from September 11 to October 8, followed by practical exams from October 15 to 23.
