Bangladesh’s HSC and equivalent examinations opened Thursday with the strictest security measures the country has ever deployed for a public exam, a direct response to decades of question paper leaks that have repeatedly shaken public trust in the system. From the first recorded leak in the 1979 SSC exam to more frequent incidents since 2014, including a June 2025 case where a sealed HSC history paper was tampered with in police custody, the pressure to secure this year’s exams has been building for years.
Uniform Question Papers Mark a First for HSC Exams
For the first time, all nine general education boards are conducting the HSC exams using uniform question papers instead of separate papers set by each board. Previously, this fragmented system created inconsistencies in difficulty and left multiple points where leaks could occur. Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon said the goal is a common benchmark for every student, regardless of board or region, and confirmed that three separate sets of question papers have been prepared this year with legal action promised against anyone spreading fake questions or leak rumours on social media.
HSC Exam 2026 Candidates and Centres
A total of 12,70,583 candidates from 9,439 institutions are sitting for the exams under 11 education boards this year:
- 10,69,714 candidates under the nine general education boards
- 92,905 under the Bangladesh Madrasa Education Board
- 1,07,964 under the Bangladesh Technical Education Board
Dhaka Board has the highest number of examinees at 3,00,393, while Barishal has the lowest at 58,664. Rajshahi, Jashore, Dinajpur, Chattogram, Cumilla, Mymensingh, and Sylhet round out the remaining general boards, with candidate numbers ranging from roughly 71,000 to 141,000. In total, exams are being held at 2,697 centres nationwide.
CCTV and Body Cameras Tighten Exam Security
Closed-circuit television cameras are now mandatory at every examination centre, and police officers assigned to exam security are wearing body cameras for the first time, a measure designed to deter cheating and quickly document any irregularities. Centres previously flagged for cheating have been shut down, though some remote centres in haor areas, the Chittagong Hill Tracts, and char regions have been retained to keep exams accessible for students in hard-to-reach locations. Seventh-day Adventist examinees have also been accommodated, with their Saturday papers scheduled after dusk.
Exam Schedule and Format of HSC Exam 2026
The exams opened with the Bangla first paper, running from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, with examinees required to arrive 30 minutes early. Written exams continue through August 8, followed by practical exams through August 15. Papers run in two daily shifts, morning and afternoon, across 77 subjects and 21 exam days.
What Comes Next for HSC 2026 Students
Milon said the education ministry is already coordinating with university vice-chancellors on aligning admission tests once HSC results are published, signalling that this year’s reforms may extend beyond the exam hall itself. For now, the uniform papers, mandatory CCTV, and body-camera security mark the clearest signal yet that Bangladesh is trying to close the loopholes that have defined its public exam system for more than 40 years.
FAQs
When did the HSC 2026 exams begin?
The exams began July 2, 2026, with written exams running until August 8 and practical exams completing by August 15.
What is new about HSC exam security this year?
All nine general education boards used uniform question papers for the first time, along with mandatory CCTV and body cameras for exam security police.
How many students are appearing for HSC 2026?
Over 1.27 million candidates from 9,439 institutions are sitting the exams across 2,697 centres under 11 education boards.
Summary
Bangladesh’s HSC and equivalent exams started Thursday with over 1.27 million examinees at 2,697 centres. For the first time, all nine general education boards used uniform question papers, backed by mandatory CCTV and body-camera monitoring for security.
