The Secondary School Certificate and equivalent exams for 2024 would be held in February while Higher Secondary Certificate and equivalent exams would be held in April, education minister Dipu Moni said on Thursday.

‘For the past several years, the authorities concerned had to rearrange the academic calendar due to the Covid-19 pandemic and natural disaster, but it will be fully set from next year,’ she hoped.

The minister came up with the information while talking to reporters after visiting an HSC exam hall at Tejgaon College in Dhaka.

‘We will try our level best to hold HSC exams in April and SSC exams in February, from next year,’ she added.

Dipu Moni claimed that there had been no question paper leak in public exams in the last five years. ‘We have been on alert to prevent question paper leak since 2015 and I hope there will be no untoward incident during this year’s HSC exams.’

If anyone tried to spread rumours, law enforcing agencies will take stern action against them, she said.

HSC exams under eight general boards for 2023 began across Bangladesh on Thursday.

Students sat for the Bangla first paper exam on the first day at 10:00am.

A total of 13,59, 342 students — 6,88, 887 boys and 6,70,455 girls — are expected to sit for this year’s HSC exams, 1,55,935 more than the previous year.

According to the routine, HSC written exams will continue till September 25 while practical exams will be held from September 26 to October 4.