Dhaka: Examinations of the Secondary School Certificate (SSC), Dakhil and Secondary School Certificate (vocational) under the country’s 10 education boards will begin on Thursday.

‘All preparations have already been taken to hold the examinations peacefully,’ Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid told a press briefing at the conference room of his ministry on Wednesday.

This year, a total of 20,31,899 students, including 10,23,212 boys and 10,08,687 girls, are set to sit for the examinations from 28,551 educational institutions.

In 2017, a total of 17,86,613 students—9,10,501 boys and 8,76,112 girls—took part in the examinations.

Nahid said 16,27,378 students will appear in the SSC examination under eight general education boards this year while 2,89,752 in Dakhil examination under Madrasah Education Board and 1,14,769 in vocational examination under Bangladesh Technical Education Board.

The examinations will be held from 10:00am at 3,412 centres across the country. Of them, 1964 centres for SSC examinees, 707 centres for Dakhil examinees and 741 centres for vocational examinees.

The Education Minister warned that stern actions will be taken if anyone tries to leak question papers of the SSC examinations.

The written examinations will end on February 24 while the practical ones will begin on February 26 and end on March 4.

Technical and Madrasha Education Division Secretary Mohammad Alamgir and senior officials of the ministry were present at the press briefing.