From 93.58% to 62.25%: SSC pass rate continues to plunge since 2021

Highlights:

• SSC pass rate falls to 62.25%, the lowest level since 2021
• Overall pass rate drops 4.08 percentage points from last year
• GPA-5 achievers fall to 116,676 across all 11 education boards
• Experts call for data-driven research to identify causes behind falling results

The average pass rate across 11 education boards in the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations has dropped to 62.25% this year, marking the lowest point in a multi-year decline from the record high recorded in 2021. 

The results of the SSC examinations were published today (10 August) at a ceremony held at the Ministry of Education. 

The latest overall figure reflects a 4.08 percentage point drop from last year's 66.33%.

Under the nine general education boards, the average pass rate stood at 64.05%, down from 68.04% last year, according to data from the Ministry of Education and respective education boards.

Among the specialised boards, the Technical Education Board posted a pass rate of 58.20%, declining from 73.63% last year, while the Madrasah Education Board recorded 55.49%, declining from 68.9% last year.

Top academic achievers also decreased markedly, with 1,16,676 students securing GPA-5 across all boards, down from 1,39,032 last year, 1,82,129 in 2024, and 1,83,578 in 2023. 

The 2026 results continue a steep downward trend observed over recent examination cycles.

In 2025, the success rate had plunged to 68.45% – the lowest in 17 years at the time – with 6,00,660 examinees failing to pass.

That sharp decline followed the 2024 examinations, where 83.04% of students passed as full marks and the full syllabus were reinstated, down from earlier post-pandemic figures.

This six-year trend stands in sharp contrast to 2021, when the country recorded a record-breaking pass rate of 93.58%, along with 1,83,340 GPA-5 holders.

That peak occurred under a shortened syllabus following a 542-day pandemic-related school closure.

As examination formats normalised, pass rates began falling, dropping to 87.44% in 2022 and further down to 80.39% in 2023 due to poor student performance in mathematics and English, before reaching this year's 62.25%.

Reason for decline

Regarding the continuous fall in pass rates, Syed Akhtaruzzaman, chairman of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Dhaka, said that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the pass rate in 2021 was nearly 100%.

"This year, it has dropped to 65%. However, according to relevant officials, although the pass rate has decreased, this year's results are comparatively more realistic.

"For the first time, the entire examination process was brought under strict surveillance using CCTV cameras. In addition to direct monitoring by the education minister, special measures were taken to prevent unfair means," he explained.

"As a result, while students who studied regularly had the opportunity to perform well, those with gaps in their preparation faced difficulties during the exams," the Dhaka board chairman said.

Meanwhile, eminent educationist Dr Manzoor Ahmed noted that there could be two reasons behind this decline.

While special supervision and quality improvement initiatives could be one reason, issues related to learning opportunities and the academic environment in schools might also be linked to it, he said.

He added that to understand how reliable examination results are, the factors must be analysed by reviewing the results every year.

"Although research is necessary for student assessment, such research is not conducted regularly in Bangladesh. Reaching a conclusion that the pass rate has simply dropped – without reviewing the differences in exam management, supervision, and students' learning opportunities – would be incorrect," he opined.

"The true cause of this decline must be determined by analysing the factors on the basis of data and evidence," the professor emeritus at Brac University told The Business Standard.