HSC Examinees Stranded, Lose MCQ Time in Cumilla Flood
Photo: Agamir Somoy
Heavy rainfall flooded the Cumilla Government Women’s College exam center on Monday, stranding more than 100 HSC examinees in severe waterlogging and cutting short their allotted time for the MCQ section.
Although the board authorities directed an additional 30 minutes of time, there are allegations that this was only applied to the written portion. Consequently, many students were unable to complete the MCQ section.
According to students and parents, many candidates could only enter the center after 10 am, yet the MCQ question papers, OMR answer sheets, and creative section scripts were distributed at the regularly scheduled time.
As a result, many students only had 15 minutes or less to answer the MCQ section after filling out required information such as their name, roll number, registration number, and set codes.
Center sources revealed that 1,309 candidates were scheduled to take the exam at the center that day. Heavy rain submerged the road adjacent to the college and the entire campus, with water entering almost all ground-floor rooms.
Cumilla City Corporation Administrator Yusuf Molla Tipu was seen assisting students in reaching the center using boats, vans, and rickshaws.
The center’s Acting Officer Md Mohsin said, “Two board officials were at the center from 9 am until the end of the exam after hearing about the candidates’ suffering. Thirty minutes were added to the written portion.
“MCQ questions were supplied and collected at 10 am. However, as many entered the center late and received less time for the MCQ portion, this controversy could have been avoided if some time had been separately increased for the MCQs.”
Following the incident, the education board has made a preliminary decision to relocate the remaining exams from the Cumilla Government Women’s College center to Bhasha Soinik Ajit Guha College.
Bhasha Soinik Ajit Guha College Principal Md Shariful Islam said, “Two board officials have inspected the center. If at least 80 pairs of benches and tables are brought in, there will be no problem in conducting the remaining exams for all the candidates from the Government Women’s College center here.”
Cumilla Education Board Chairman Ahsan Parvez noted that while there were no major issues across the six districts under the board, 30 minutes of extra time were granted specifically for the Cumilla Government Women’s College center due to the flooding.
He remarked, “Extended time should have been given to the MCQ portion as well, rather than just the written portion, which the center authorities could have done.”
