No more gap between public exams: Nahid

There will be no interval during secondary school certificate (SSC) and higher secondary certificate (HSC) examinations excepting the government holidays from next year.

 "It is too difficult to take the public examinations over a month across the country", Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid said this while briefing the journalists Wednesday at the secretariat building.

He called the emergency press conference at his office to disclose investigation report on the alleged question paper leakage during the last higher secondary certificate (HSC) examinations.

 "Candidates of the public examinations must prepare themselves in their classrooms", the minister said adding that the examination system must be revamped considering the circumstances.

To bring the changes in the examination system, Mr Nahid said they will take necessary recommendations from the prominent academics and the suggestions made by the investigation committee.

Earlier on May 10, following the allegations, the ministry formed a seven-member committee led by its additional secretary (admin and finance) to investigate into the allegations.

After almost one and a half months' inspection, the probe body submitted a report of total 126 pages to the ministry of education (MoE) on June 29.

Mr Nahid said the body found evidences of the question paper leakage of English and mathematics second part of HSC examination under the Dhaka Education Board.

 "After the proper inspection and appraisal of such allegations, the probe body found the evidences," the minister said adding the investigation committee couldn't identify sources or persons involved in the criminal acts.

He, however, said the authorities took the examination of two papers through printing fresh question papers as they got allegations and found evidences of the alleged leakage before the examination took place.

In addition, the probe committee has also found partial matching of question papers of some other subjects. But as they did not get the allegations timely, they had to take the examinations in the fixed question papers.

The probe body clearly told the authorities concerned that in the existing examination system it is not possible to contain the question paper leakage.

They also put forward some specific recommendations including holding of public examinations without any interval between the two tests.

 "Eventually, the authorities could rethink about taking two examinations on a single day to avert such leakage", he noted. The probe body also recommended reducing the number of public examinations to five subjects that are enough to evaluate the candidates properly.

Their recommendations also include printing of total 20 sets of question papers and selecting five sets through lottery for a single subject examination.

Other recommendations are: holding examination without interruption, setting up necessary close circuit camera in the room of moderation board, taking oath of the question paper formulators and ensuring strict security.