The government will not change its decision to reduce the Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) part at both SSC and HSC examinations by 10 academic marks despite protests from students, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid said yesterday.

"The decision will not change. There is no logic or reason to change the decision," he told a press briefing at his ministry after meeting with educationalists.

The statement comes in the wake of students' protests over countering the reduction by increasing the marks in the creative question part. They reason that it would be difficult for them to answer the creative questions in the stipulated time.

The minister said earlier there were 40 MCQs in the 100 marks exam and students used to get 40 minutes to answer the MCQs while 2.10 hours to answer six creative questions out of nine.

Following the change, students will get 30 minutes for 30 MCQ questions and 2.30 hours to answer seven creative questions out of 11. Nahid observed that students would face no problem.