HSC exams: Cumilla pass rate lowest in five years

This year's pass rate for Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations — 71.15% — under Cumilla Education Board is the lowest in five years.

Cumilla board Chairman Dr Md Nizamul Karim announced the results during a press conference at the board's office in the city today (15 October).

In 2020, Cumilla recorded a 100% pass rate as students were given "auto pass" due to the Covid-19 pandemic that did not allow authorities to hold the exams.

In 2021, the pass rate came down to 97.49% after the exams were taken in a curtailed syllabus when the pandemic came under control. In 2022, the rate dropped to 90.72%.

In 2023, the Cumilla board's pass rate significantly fell to 75.39% after the exams were taken based on a full syllabus.

This year, a total of 1,331,058 students across the country sat for the HSC and equivalent exams, which began on 30 June.

After eight days of exams, all tests scheduled for 18 July were postponed amid the student-led quota reform movement across the country.

Before they were scrapped, the rest of the exams were delayed several times in August and September by both the previous government and the interim government during and after the mass uprising. Ultimately, the results were published based on the subject mapping method.

Cumilla board Chairman Nizamul said that the exams were postponed due to several reasons, mainly the student-led mass uprising and floods.

"That severely affected our students. Students have failed most in English. We need to make a concerted effort to improve the results. For that, the cooperation of the heads of the institutions, teachers and parents is needed," he said.

Meanwhile, despite the fall in pass rate, the number of Cumilla board students with GPA-5 increased this year compared to last year. This year, 7,922 students secured GPA-5 — up from last year's 5,655.