(BSS) - The results of this year`s Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations were published at 10 am today.

This year, the overall pass rate in the country`s 11 education boards is 62.25 percent, while 1,16,676 students secured GPA-5. Last year, the pass rate was 68.45 percent.

Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister Dr ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon officially published the results at a press conference at the Secretariat here.

Following the announcement, the results were made available simultaneously on the websites of all education boards in the country, the respective educational institutions and through SMS from 10:00 am.

At the press conference, Prof Syed Akhtaruzzaman, president of the Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee and chairman of Dhaka Education Board, presented the results in detail.

According to the information presented at the press conference, a total of 18,29,485 candidates participated in the examinations this year under the country`s nine general education boards, Madrasa Education Board and Technical Education Board, and of them, 11,38,877 passed. Among those who passed, 5,30,938 were boys and 6,07,939 were girls.

This year, both the pass rate and the number of GPA-5 decreased compared to the previous year. Last year, 1,39,032 students got GPA-5.

A total of 14,04,539 students participated in the examinations under nine general education boards. Of them, 8,99,610 passed with 64.05 percent pass rate. Among those who passed, 3,95, 814 were boys while 5,03,796 were girls. A total of 1,06,009 got GPA 5.

A total of 1,64,797 candidates out of 2,96,982 passed the Dakhil examination under Madrasa Education Board. The pass rate in this board is 55.49 percent, while 6,716 got GPA-5.

On the other hand, 74,470 candidates out of 1,27,964 passed the SSC and Dakhil (Vocational) examinations under the Technical Education Board, with a pass rate of 58.2 percent.

According to statistics, Dhaka Education Board topped in board-wise pass rate with 71.63 percent. A total of 33,253 students got GPA-5.

Among other boards, Rajshahi Board recorded a pass rate of 63.67 percent and 22,327 students got GPA-5, while the pass rate in Jashore Board is 66.27 percent and 11,478 got GPA-5.

Sylhet Board recorded 58.33 percent pass rate and 3,836 students got GPA-5, while pass rate is 58.05 percent and 13,639 got GPA-5 in Dinajpur Board. The pass rate in Chattogram Board is 59.48 percent and 9,398 students got GPA-5.

The pass rate in Barishal Board is 60.35 percent and 2,778 students got GPA-5. The pass rate in Mymensingh Board is 57.39 percent, and 5,700 students secured GPA-5. The pass rate in Cumilla Board is 65.42 percent, and 9,814 students got GPA-5.

The group-wise results of the general education boards show that the most students passed in the science group. The total number of passed examinees in the science group is 4,57,188, with a pass rate of 80.64 percent.

A total of 3,11,174 examinees passed from the humanities group with a pass rate of 48.74 percent. On the other hand, the total number of passed examinees in the business education group is 1,41,248 with a 64.29 percent pass rate.

Prime Minister`s Education Adviser Dr Mahdi Amin, Secondary and Higher Education Division Secretary Md Abdul Khaleque, and the chairmen of different education boards were present at the press conference.