Unsuccessful SSC candidates call for supplementary exam

A section of students, who failed in this year's Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations, called for an immediate supplementary examination reproving the current assessment rules as unjust and detrimental to their academic future. 

They announced a countrywide human chain demonstration to be held in front of all divisional education board offices including Dhaka on July 14.

In a press statement issued on Friday night on behalf of the 'unsuccessful candidates of the SSC exam 2025 batch', the students alleged that the rigid passing system, particularly the requirement to pass both the essay and MCQ sections separately, has led to the failure of nearly six lakh students. They claim that many failed by a narrow margin, with MCQ scores falling short by just one or two marks despite having secured 40 to 50 marks in the essay portion.

"The education system has not been reformed, yet a new rule has been enforced. This is inhumane," the statement reads. "We are being punished not for ignorance, but for a technicality. Because of this, we have been pushed out of the academic cycle for an entire year."

The affected students argue that if a supplementary examination is arranged within the next one to two months, particularly for those who failed in up to three subjects, the majority would be able to pass. They assert that such a move would not only restore academic continuity but also save thousands from the psychological trauma and social neglect associated with failure.