Record SSC answer script rechecks applications, here’s why

It has been seven days since the SSC and equivalent examination results were published. In the meantime, a new record has been set in applications for answer script rechecking. In seven days, 400,251 dissatisfied students applied to have the marks of a total of 1,287,926 subjects changed. Of these, 1,056,455 applications were submitted for theoretical subjects and 231,471 for practical subjects. Overall, each student requested answer script rechecking in an average of three subjects.

According to information from the education boards, the highest number of applications was submitted to the Dhaka Education Board. Compared with last year, the number of applications has increased by more than 550,000 this year.

According to information obtained from the Inter Education Board, several factors have contributed to the unusual increase in rechecking applications this year. The biggest factor is the change in the rechecking process this year.

The Education Minister said answer scripts would not be rechecked only in the conventional sense this year. Instead, the entire answer script would be evaluated. The Public Examinations Act has been amended for this purpose. Following the minister’s statement, students who did not get their expected results have challenged their answer scripts in greater numbers to have their marks reviewed. However, teachers were stricter in evaluating answer scripts this year compared with previous years.

The average pass rate in this year’s SSC and equivalent examinations was 62.25 percent. Last year, the rate was 68.45 percent. This means the pass rate fell by 6.20 percentage points in one year. At the same time, the number of students who received GPA 5 also declined by more than 22,000.

Most applications submitted to Dhaka Board

An analysis of board wise data shows that the Dhaka Education Board received a total of 335,677 applications, including 277,665 for theoretical subjects and 58,012 for practical subjects. The Cumilla Board received 112,611 applications. The Rajshahi Board received 122,228, the Jashore Board 91,059 and the Chattogram Board 137,601 applications. In addition, 61,086 applications were submitted to the Barishal Board, 60,974 to the Sylhet Board, 111,260 to the Dinajpur Board, 117,059 to the Madrasah Education Board, 51,214 to the Technical Education Board and 87,157 to the Mymensingh Board.

Stricter evaluation raises doubts

This year, the education boards have increased monitoring at examination centers and placed greater emphasis on discipline in evaluation and compliance with prescribed standards by examiners. There was also greater caution and strictness in evaluating examination answer scripts. As a result, students who did not receive their expected results believe they received lower marks than they had anticipated.

The tendency to apply for rechecking is particularly high in subjects such as English and mathematics, where results are relatively weaker. For example, the Dhaka Education Board received more than 46,000 applications for English, followed by 34,000 for mathematics. A similar trend has been seen in other education boards. However, an increase in answer script rechecking applications does not necessarily mean that the results of a large number of students will change.

What is behind the record number of applications

The record number of applications for answer script rechecking has brought not only students’ concerns about their results to the forefront but also the issue of confidence in the evaluation system. Students are taking advantage of the opportunity to have their marks reviewed rather than considering the marks they received as final.

Former chairman of the Dhaka Education Board Professor Dr. Khondoker Ehsanul Kabir said, “Having the opportunity for rechecking is a right of students. One of the reasons for the increase in the number of answer script challenges is the change in the law this year. In addition, not receiving the expected result, failing by a small margin or not getting a grade change, and changes in the evaluation system have also played a role.”

Previously, during answer script rechecking, examiners would check whether marks for any question had not been added, whether there had been an error in calculating marks, or whether any answer had been left unevaluated. This year, major changes have been introduced. The entire answer script of a student will be evaluated again.

When asked about the matter, Professor Syed Aktaruzzaman, coordinator of the Inter Education Board and chairman of the Dhaka Education Board, told Agamir Somoy, “The only reason for the increase in applications this year is that we have moved away from the conventional practice of rechecking and introduced a new method of evaluating answer scripts. I hope these answer scripts will be rechecked and the results published within a short time.”