Bangladesh HSC results: pass rate falls to lowest in 22 years
Bangladesh has published the results of this year’s Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations, with the pass rate falling to its lowest level in 22 years. Just 52.12% of students passed, officials announced on Saturday, 31 October.
Of the 1,240,798 students who sat the examinations across the country’s 11 education boards, 646,685 passed and 594,113 failed. The pass rate is down 6.71 percentage points from 58.83% last year. The last time it was lower was in 2004, when 47.74% passed.
The number of students earning the top grade also fell sharply. Only 40,084 secured a GPA-5, the highest grade, compared with 69,097 last year — a drop of 29,013. Girls did better than boys in the overall pass rate, with 56.31% of girls passing against 47.75% of boys, but boys earned slightly more top grades: 20,363, compared with 19,721 girls.
English and information and communication technology (ICT) had the most failures: 243,528 students failed English and 138,493 failed ICT. Meanwhile, 293 schools and colleges recorded a zero pass rate, up from 202 last year, while 139 institutions achieved a 100% pass rate.
The examinations began on 2 July, and the written papers ended on 8 August. Papers in the Chattogram board were delayed by flooding and finished on 9 September. Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon announced the results at 11am on Saturday. Students can check them online, at school, or by text message.
Why it matters
The HSC is the school-leaving examination that decides who can move on to university in Bangladesh. With more than 1.2 million students taking the exams, a fall of this size affects hundreds of thousands of families.
The sharp drop also raises questions about learning and exam preparation. The results alone do not explain why performance fell, and the figures will now be studied board by board and subject by subject.
What happens next
Students who failed in one or two subjects will get a second chance. The education minister said the government plans to hold re-examinations for them within the next month. Around 422,000 students fall into that group.
Students unhappy with their results can also apply to have their answer papers checked again. Applications open on 1 November and close on 7 November.
This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.
Sources
- https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/hsc-equivalent-exam-pass-rate-5212-40084-secure-gpa-5-1588166 (The Business Standard, 31 October 2026)
- https://www.bangladeshist.com/bangladesh-hsc-pass-rate-hits-22-year-low-as-top-grades-decline (Bangladeshist, 31 October 2026)
