Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations begin today with 16,51,523 students taking the tests across the country.

This year, the number of examinees rose by more than 1.72 lakh. The written tests will end on March 8, while the practical tests would be from March 9 to March 14.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has changed the venue of today's cabinet meeting for the convenience of the SSC and equivalent examinees, reports UNB.

"The prime minister has taken the decision to facilitate the movement of the examinees to their respective examination centres," said PM's Deputy Press Secretary Ashraful Alam Khokan.

He said the cabinet meeting will be held at the Prime Minister's Office instead of Bangladesh Secretariat where it is usually held.

Khokan also mentioned that the prime minister will go to her office from her official residence Gono Bhaban to attend the meeting at 10:30am, when all the examinees will be in their examination centres.

At a pre-examination press conference, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid on Saturday said 8,42,933 boys and 8,08,590 girls would appear in the SSC and equivalent examinations at 3,143 centres under 10 education boards.

Of them, 13,04,274 students will sit for the SSC exams under eight general education boards, while 2,48,865 students will appear in Dakhil (secondary level of madrasa) examinations, and 98,384 in SSC vocational exams, he said.