Two tests in the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations have been deferred by a month due to the Upazila Parishad elections.
Election Commission Deputy Secretary Mihir Sarwar Morshed said the education ministry informed the commission of the decision on Wednesday.
The ministry letter, signed by education ministry Deputy Secretary Oliullah, said the tests in religion (Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity) scheduled for Feb 18, a day before the first-round Upazila vote, will be held a month later, on Mar 18.
The exams for accountancy, slated for Feb 20, will be held on Mar 20.
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Education Secretary Abdul Naser Chowdhury told bdnews24.com SSC tests of a few other subjects might be shifted due to the polls.
The decision regarding them would be announced later, he said.
The Election Commission had written to the ministry on Monday, seeking its opinion on the Upazila Parishad poll schedule.
The Education Secretary sent the ministry’s opinion the next day after consulting officials.
The written SSC exams were scheduled to be held from Feb 9 to Mar 16 and the practical tests from Mar 17 to 24.
Earlier, on Jan 18, an inter-ministry meeting had advised the EC not to hold the polls during the public exams of SSC and Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC).
The HSC tests are scheduled to begin on Apr 1.
The EC, however, announced plans to hold vote on Feb 19 in 120 Upazila Parishads, whose terms would end before Feb 28, out of the total 487 in the first phase.
According to the commission, polls will be held in 117 Upazilas on Feb 27, in 74 on Mar 15, in 72 on Mar 25, in 65 on Mar 31 and in 57 Upazilas on May 3.
Elections in the remaining Upazilas will not be held this year for various reasons including legal complications.
2nd phase schedule soon
The EC said the schedule for polls in 117 Upazila Parishads in the second phase would be announced this week.
Commission officials said the vote would be held on Feb 27 and the last date for nomination submission might be Feb 2.
The date for nomination scrutiny might be fixed on Feb 4 and candidature withdrawal on Feb 11, they added.
Source: Bd news24
