There is a danger of reducing the protest surrounding this year’s Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations to youthful resentment.

More than 12.7 lakhs candidates are sitting the examinations under heightened security and CCTV surveillance

This year’s HSC and equivalent examinations begin today, with the nine general education boards using identical question papers and all 2,697 centres brought under CCTV monitoring.

The practical exams will be held from August 11 to 21

All coaching centres to be closed from August 14 to September 25

Amid previous controversies and considering the state of mind of the candidates, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid avoids entering exam hall on the first day of the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examination.

The results of this year's HSC examinations have hit an eight-year low, falling 10 percentage points to 65.84 percent from last year's 75.74 percent in all the eight general education boards.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina says the overall HSC results this time would have been much better if BNP led 20-party alliance had not been engaged in subversive activities during the examinations.