The Secondary School Certificate and equivalent examinations of 2016 begin today (1 February).

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid announced the schedule at the Secretariat on 30 January.

A total of 13,04,274 students will appear in the exams. Of them, 6, 42, 507students are male and 6,61,767 female.

Eight education boards, a madrasa education board and a technical education board will conduct the SSC, Dakhil and SSC vocational examinations.

For the first time, students will have to answer the multiple choice question (MCQ) part first, followed by the creative or written part, in this year’s public tests.

Until now, students had answered the MCQs after the creative or written part.

But the new move has been made after several teachers were found guilty of providing students with answers to the MCQs during the tests, education ministry officials said.

The ministry’s investigation also found that MCQ papers were sent outside the exam centres to provide examinees with answers through mobile phones.

Also for the first time, there will be a 10-minute break between the MCQ and creative or written parts.

According to the schedule, the exam will commence on 1 February with the theoretical part running through to 8 March.

The practical tests will be held from 9 March to 14.

Students will be allowed to use normal calculators during the tests. No person other than the secretary of the exam centre will be allowed to carry mobile phones.