Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid, speaking at a media briefing at the Secretariat on Wednesday, reminded the candidates that they must enter the exam centres half an before the tests are to begin.

No one other than the exam centre secretary will be allowed to carry mobile phone or other electronic devices. The secretary will have to carry a mobile phone that does not take photo as part of desperate government measures to stop question papers from being leaked.

The written tests will end on Feb 24 while the practical tests will be held from Feb 26 to Mar 4.

The number of male students sitting the tests this year is 1,023,212 while 1,008,687 female students have registered for the tests.

Besides the around 3,500 centres in Bangladesh, 458 candidates will sit for the exams in eight centres abroad.

Over 2 million students take SSC tests from Thursday amid spectre of leaks

The SSC and equivalent exams for grade-10 students are starting on Thursday, with over 2 million candidates taking the tests this year.

Opinion