The students received question papers meant for 2025 irregular candidates during the 2026 ICT examination, leaving all 38 with failed grades.
Thirty-eight candidates failed the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) examination in the 2026 Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exams after receiving incorrect question papers at an examination centre in Jashore.
The incident took place on July 11 at Upashahar Mohila College examination centre. The affected students received question papers prepared for 2025 irregular candidates instead of the papers for regular 2026 candidates.
The students later received ‘F’ grades in ICT when the HSC results were published on October 31. They and their guardians have expressed anger over the incident, while the college authorities have advised the affected students to apply for result re-evaluation.
Question paper shortage delayed examination
According to relevant sources, 279 students from Upashahar College were assigned to the Upashahar Mohila College centre for the 2026 HSC examinations.
The problem occurred in Room 303 during the ICT examination, subject code 275. The examination was scheduled to begin at 10am, but there were not enough question papers at the start.
Teachers responsible for the room later brought additional papers from outside and distributed them among the candidates. The delay took around 10 minutes, leaving students with only 25 minutes to complete the examination.
At the final moments, the candidates realised that they had received questions for 2025 irregular candidates. The papers did not match the syllabus for regular 2026 candidates.
By then, the scheduled examination time had ended. The students protested at the centre after discovering the mistake.
Authorities from Upashahar College and Upashahar Mohila College informed the Jashore Education Board about the incident.
Education board officials visit examination centre
After receiving the report, senior officials of the Jashore Education Board visited the centre that afternoon. The officials included Controller of Examinations Professor S. M. Hossain Ali.
The board relieved Saidur Rahman, principal of Upashahar Mohila College and centre secretary, and Assistant Professor Nazrul Islam from their examination duties.
Guardians demanded that the affected students be allowed to sit for the examination again. Board officials reportedly assured them that the matter would be considered.
Despite the incident, the students later appeared in their remaining HSC examinations.
Only 49 of 279 candidates pass
The HSC results, published on October 31, showed that only 49 of the 279 candidates from Upashahar College had passed.
This represented a pass rate of 17.56 per cent. The remaining 230 candidates failed, including the 38 students who received incorrect ICT question papers.
All 38 affected candidates received ‘F’ grades in ICT.
The results have raised concerns among the affected students and their families about the impact of the incident on their academic progress.
Students and guardians express frustration
Arko, one of the affected candidates, said the question papers were distributed 10 minutes late. As a result, the students rushed to complete the examination and failed to notice the difference in the questions.
He said they realised the mistake only after leaving the examination hall and comparing the questions with those given to their friends.
Another student, Rupanti, questioned how candidates could pass an examination when they received questions from a different syllabus.
“ICT is not equally easy for everyone. If we are given questions from a different syllabus instead of our own, how are we supposed to answer them, and how can we possibly pass?” she said.
Students Ripon and Yasin said the incident had left them uncertain about their academic future.
Guardian Asha also expressed anger over the situation. She said negligence by those responsible could cost her child a valuable academic year.
Another guardian, Robiul Islam, criticised the college authorities for failing to take effective steps to support the students after the results were published.
College and education board officials respond
Saidur Rahman, the former principal of Upashahar Mohila College, disputed the number of affected students. He claimed that 21 candidates, not 38, had received incorrect question papers.
He also said nobody deliberately distributed the wrong question papers.
Mustafizur Rahman, acting principal of Upashahar Degree College, said the affected students had been advised to apply for result re-evaluation.
He added that the college had decided to submit a formal complaint to the Jashore Education Board.
However, Controller of Examinations Professor S. M. Hossain Ali said the board had no specific responsibility for the incident.
He said the centre secretary and the teacher responsible had already been relieved of their duties under the board’s rules. He also maintained that the board had taken all required steps under its regulations.
The affected students are now awaiting further action following the college’s planned complaint to the education board and advice to seek re-evaluation of their results.
