The government has undertaken an initiative to reschedule the country’s public examinations to make the academic calendar more time befitting and better aligned with international standards.

Under the plan, the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations will be held in January, while the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations will take place in June from the next academic year, Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon told parliament on Tuesday.

He disclosed the plan while replying to a starred question from treasury bench member Lutfur Rahman (Cox’s Bazar-3) in the House. The day’s sitting resumed with Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal in the chair.

The minister said the move is aimed at gradually bringing greater consistency between the beginning of the academic year and the schedule of public examinations, while reducing the loss of valuable academic time for students.

He said the government is also working in phases to hold public examinations even earlier in the academic year in the future as part of broader education reforms.