HSC pass rate slips to 78.64pc, number of GPA-5 falls by 50pc

The combined pass rate - across 11 education boards - of the HSC and equivalent exams dropped to 78.64 per cent in 2023 from 85.95 per cent a year earlier, report agencies.

This marks a 7.31 per cent drop compared to 2022's combined pass rate.

Female students once again outperformed their male peers in the public exams. The pass rate among girls is 80.57 per cent, compared to 76.76 per cent among boys.

The results of the exams, which students in Class 12 take before applying for university admission, were released on Sunday. More than 1.3 million students sat for the exams this year.

A total of 92,0365 students have received GPA-5 - an almost 50 per cent decline compared to 2022. In 2022, a total of 176,282 students obtained GPA-5.

Among the GPA-5 holders, 43,230 are male students and 49,365 are female.

A total of 78,521 students achieved GPA-5 under nine general education boards, 7,097 students under madrasah education board and 6,977 under technical education board.

A total of 10,67,852 candidates passed the exams in all the education boards.

The HSC exams for eight of the general education boards began on Aug 17, and continued until Sept 25. The tests for Chattogram, which were interrupted by floods, and the madrasa and technical boards began 10 days later.

Students usually get the results for the public exams within 60 days of the examinations. Traditionally, the results are published in November.

This year, exams worth a full 100 marks and lasting three hours were held for the first time after abridged syllabi and shortened question papers were instituted during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the ICT test was still reduced to a 75-mark exam.

Among the nine education boards, the pass rate in Dhaka Board stands at 79.44 per cent. The pass rate in Chattogram Board is 74.45 per cent while for Rajshahi Board the pass rate stands at 78.46 per cent.

Meanwhile, 73.4 per cent students passed in Sylhet Board. The pass rate is 80.65 per cent in Barishal, 75.39 per cent in Cumilla, 70.44 per cent in Mymensingh, 70.44 per cent in Dinajpur, and 69.88 per cent in Jashore boards.

Education Minister Dipu Moni handed over the result summary to the prime minister earlier this morning.

Later, chairmen of different education boards handed over the results of their respective boards to the PM.

This year, a total of 13,74,488 students sat for HSC and equivalent exams from August 17 to September 25. Of them, 698,135 are boys, and 676,353 are girls.