Dhaka: A total of 2,468,820 examinees—1,144,778 males and 1,324,042 females—will sit in the Junior School Certificate and Junior Dakhil Certificate examinations this year, starting from November 1.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid made the disclosure at a press briefing at the secretariat on Wednesday.

The number of female students has marked a rise by 179,264 this year compared to the previous year, he added.

A total of 2,090,277 students—971,336 males and 1,118,941 females—are taking part in the JSC examination while 378,543 examinees—173,442 boys and 205,101 girls—in JDC.

Students from 28,628 educational institutions are sitting for the examinations at 2,834 centres across the country.

Of these, exam centres have been increased to 100 while the number of educational institutions has marked a decrease by 133 this time.

Some 96,212 irregular students are taking part in the JSC examination while 14,367  in JDC and the number of special students in JSC is 87,697 while in JDC it is 11,770.

Besides, 959 students will sit in the JSC and JDC in nine overseas centres.

In 2016, a total of 2,412,775 examinees appeared in the JSC and JDC examinations.

Nahid also asked all candidates in JSC and equivalent examinations to enter their examination centres 30 minutes before the test begins.

He also asked students not to pay heed to any rumour of the question leak.

All measures have been taken to take the examinations in peaceful and fair manners, the minister added.

The examinations will end on November 18.