The Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations of 2017 under ten education boards across the country begin today.

"Preparations have been taken to hold the examinations successfully, “ Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid told a press briefing at the ministry conference room on Tuesday.

This year, 17,86,613 students - 9,10,501 boys and 8,76,112 girls, will take

part in the examinations, he added.

Of them, 14,25,900 students will sit for the SSC examination under eight general education boards. Some 2,56,501 students will appear in the Dakhil examinations while 1,04,212 students will participate in the SSC vocational examinations.

The examinations will be held at 3,236 centres all over the country.

The education ministry sources said a total of 93 new exam centres have been set up as 1,35,090 examinees have increased this year.

A total of 446 students from eight overseas centres will also appear in the SSC examinations this year.

This year, the SSC exams will be held under creative question papers except Bangla 2nd paper and English 1st and 2nd papers.

A total of 16,51,523 students from 28,119 educational institutions appeared in the SSC and equivalent examinations last year. Of them, 8,42,933 students were male and 8,08,590 female.