SSC results take sharp downturn

The SSC and equivalent examination results took a sharp downturn this year, with the national pass rate falling to 62.25% from 68.45% and the number of GPA-5 achievers dropping by more than 8,000, as stricter examination monitoring and persistent gaps in classroom learning emerged as key reasons behind the decline.

A total of 1,138,877 students passed this year, while 690,608 failed, according to results published on Monday. The 6.2 percentage-point fall in the overall pass rate came alongside a decline in GPA-5 holders to 116,676 from 125,018 last year.

Under the nine general education boards, the pass rate fell to 64.05% from 68.04%, while 106,009 students secured GPA-5, 19,009 fewer than last year. Girls outperformed boys, with 107,982 more female students passing and 11,401 more girls securing GPA-5 than their male counterparts.

Performance varied widely across the boards. Dhaka recorded the highest pass rate among the nine general boards at 71.63%, while Mymensingh had the lowest at 57.39%. The Dakhil pass rate suffered an even steeper fall, plunging to 55.49% from 68.09%, while the SSC vocational pass rate stood at 58.20%.

The number of institutions achieving a 100% pass rate also fell sharply, from 984 last year to 669 this year. At the same time, institutions where not a single candidate passed more than doubled, rising from 134 to 312. The humanities group recorded the lowest pass rate at 48.74%, while science performed best at 80.64%.

Girls generally performed better than boys. Under the general boards, female students had a clear advantage in both the number passing and the number securing GPA-5. 

The trend was also seen in Dakhil, where the pass rate for girls was 59.89%  compared with 51.64% for boys. However, boys slightly outnumbered girls among Dakhil GPA-5 achievers.

The results also exposed continuing weaknesses in English and mathematics, with substantial numbers of candidates failing both subjects. 

Authorities, meanwhile, said admission to Class XI would be based on merit and students’ preferences, while the education minister announced that students would now be able to seek full re-evaluation of their answer scripts rather than merely re-scrutiny.

The results were formally inaugurated at the Secretariat by Education Minister Dr ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon, in the presence of Prime Minister’s Adviser for Education and Primary and Mass Education Dr Mahdi Amin.

Of the 11 education boards, the nine general boards recorded a combined pass rate of 64.05%. This was 3.99%age points lower than the 68.04% recorded in 2025.

The number of GPA-5 holders under the general boards fell considerably, from 125,018 last year to 106,009 this year. 

The number of educational institutions increased by 303, while examination centres rose by 201.

The overall figures include students under the Bangladesh Madrasah Education Board and the Technical Education Board.

The sharpest deterioration came in the Dakhil examination.

Of the 296,412 students who appeared under the Madrasah Education Board, 164,797 passed, producing a pass rate of 55.49%. The rate was 68.09% last year, representing a fall of 12.60%age points.

Girls again performed better in terms of the pass rate, with 59.89% passing against 51.64% of boys.

A total of 6,716 Dakhil candidates secured GPA-5. Boys accounted for 3,572 of these, while 3,144 were girls.

The examination was held through 741 centres, with 9,141 institutions taking part.

Under the Technical Education Board, 127,964 candidates appeared for the SSC and Dakhil (Vocational) examinations. Of them, 74,470 passed, giving a pass rate of 58.20%. A total of 3,951 candidates secured GPA-5.

The results also reveal a widening gap between institutions.

Of the 30,402 educational institutions that took part in the SSC and equivalent examinations, 669 recorded a 100% pass rate. But 312 institutions had a zero% pass rate, meaning none of their candidates passed.

The contrast is striking compared with last year, when 984 institutions achieved a 100% pass rate and only 134 recorded a zero pass rate.

The figures suggest that while some institutions continued to perform strongly, a growing number struggled to ensure that even a single candidate passed.

Students’ performance also differed sharply by academic group.

The humanities group recorded the lowest pass rate, at 48.74%. Of the 617,885 candidates who appeared, 301,174 passed. In other words, more than half of the humanities candidates failed.

Science students performed considerably better. Of the 566,958 candidates who appeared, 457,188 passed, producing an average pass rate of 80.64%.

The business studies group recorded a pass rate of 64.29%, with 141,248 of its 219,696 candidates passing.

Female students continued to outperform male students in several key indicators.

Under the nine general boards, girls not only accounted for more successful candidates but also secured substantially more GPA-5 results. Their advantage amounted to 107,982 more passes and 11,401 more GPA-5s than boys.

At the Dakhil level, the difference was also clear in the pass rate, with girls ahead by more than eight%age points.

The one notable exception was Dakhil GPA-5 performance, where boys accounted for 3,572 of the 6,716 top grades, compared with 3,144 achieved by girls.

Overall, women accounted for 63,896 of the 116,676 GPA-5 holders across the SSC and equivalent examinations, compared with 52,780 male students.

Among the nine general education boards, Dhaka recorded the highest pass rate at 71.63%.

It was followed by Cumilla at 65.42%, Jashore at 66.27% and Rajshahi at 63.67%. Chattogram recorded 59.48%, Barishal 60.35%, Sylhet 58.33%, Dinajpur 58.05% and Mymensingh 57.39%.

The gap between the highest and lowest-performing boards was therefore more than 14%age points.

English and mathematics emerged as two of the biggest problem areas.

Under the Mymensingh Board, only 66.64% of students passed English. The pass rate was 69.24% in Barishal, 69.11% in Sylhet, 71.84% in Jashore, 72.27% in Chattogram, 74.70% in Rajshahi and 78.40% in Dhaka. Under the Madrasah Board, the English pass rate was 79.21%.

Mathematics produced similarly mixed results. The pass rate was around 69% under the Mymensingh and Madrasah boards, while it stood at 70.92% under the Technical Education Board.

More than 80% of students passed mathematics under the Dhaka, Cumilla, Jashore and Chattogram boards, while the rate was 77.98% in Barishal, 77.17% in Rajshahi, 75.96% in Sylhet and 71.05% in Dinajpur.

Education authorities and experts offered several explanations for the decline.

Syed Akhtaruzzaman, chairman of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Dhaka, said the unusually high pass rate during the COVID-19 period had distorted the picture. The pass rate in 2021 was close to 100%, he said, whereas this year it had fallen to 64% under the general boards.

But he argued that the latest results were comparatively more realistic.

For the first time, the entire examination process was placed under strict surveillance using CCTV cameras. The education minister also directly monitored the process, while additional measures were introduced to prevent unfair means.

“As a result, while students who studied regularly had the opportunity to perform well, those with gaps in their preparation faced difficulties during the exams,” Akhtaruzzaman said.

Educationist Dr Manzoor Ahmed also pointed to stricter examination management as one possible reason, while cautioning against assuming that tighter supervision alone explained the fall.

He said the decline could also be linked to differences in learning opportunities and the academic environment in schools.

The professor emeritus at BRAC University stressed that the reasons needed to be established through evidence rather than assumptions.

“Although research is necessary for student assessment, such research is not conducted regularly in Bangladesh,” he told a national daily, arguing that differences in examination management, supervision and students’ learning opportunities needed to be studied before drawing conclusions.

“The true cause of this decline must be determined by analysing the factors based on data and evidence,” he said.

Education Minister Dr ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon rejected the suggestion that the lower results necessarily represented a poor performance by students.

Asked whether teachers had been too strict in awarding marks, he said: “You can sing with an open heart, but you cannot give marks with an open heart.”

He described the results as good, telling journalists: “Why are you calling it a bad result? The result is actually good.”

Prime Minister’s Adviser Dr Mahdi Amin said the government had ensured a “hundred percent neutral assessment” of students’ merit.

He said the government had moved away from a culture in which pass rates and GPA-5 numbers were artificially increased for vested interests.

“For many years, we have seen GPA-5 and pass rates being artificially increased for vested interests. We have completely moved away from that culture,” he said.

He added that the Prime Minister had instructed the authorities to build an education system in which students would graduate with their genuine merit, skills and creativity.

The government has also changed the system for challenging examination results.

The education minister said students would now be able to request full re-evaluation of their answer scripts instead of merely seeking re-scrutiny.

“We have now changed the system. The answer scripts of students who apply for re-evaluation will be reviewed fully. If any error or discrepancy is found, necessary action will be taken,” he said.

He noted that students sometimes failed to obtain the results they expected despite performing well in examinations.

Students sitting for the examinations at overseas centres recorded a much higher success rate.

Of 402 candidates who appeared at nine overseas examination centres, 354 passed and 48 failed, giving a pass rate of 88.06%.

Two institutions recorded 100% pass rates, while none of the candidates from one institution passed.

Admission to Class XI will be based on SSC and equivalent examination results as well as students’ order of preference, said Professor Syed Akhtaruzzaman, chairman of the Bangladesh Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee.

The deadline for Class XI admission has been set for 15 September, after which classes will begin immediately once the admission process is completed.