DHAKA: Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid on Monday said the country witnessed the increase of educational institutions and examination centers while the decrease of Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) candidates in numbers.

He further said 1,073,884 candidates would appear in the HSC and equivalent examinations this year.

The minister came up with this disclosure in a press conference in the ministry over the upcoming HSC examination.

The minister said examinations would be held in 2,419 centers where the students of 8,305 educational institutions will appear for the test.

Nahid also said some 67,000 examinees have reduced in 2015 than the previous year. “The number of examinees in 2014 was 1,141,374,” he added.

According to the minister, 201 new educational institutions and 67 examination centers have been added this year.

The theoretical examinations of 285 subjects of HSC will be held from April 1 to June 11 and the practical examinations have to be complete between June 13 and June 22.

Mentioning the government’s stern steps for the HSC examinations, the minister urged everyone to help them take the examination without interruption.

BDST: 1743 HRS, MAR 30, 2015