An error at an SSC examination centre in Narayanganj caused confusion on the first day of the exams on Tuesday, after 177 students were given last year’s Bangla First Paper creative question paper instead of the correct one.
The incident took place at the centre no. 498, Kanchpur Omar Ali High School, in Sonargaon Upazila. A total of 763 candidates were assigned to the centre, and 760 were present, officials said.
According to centre authorities, the mistake happened during the distribution of the written, or creative, section question papers. Students in two examination halls were handed papers based on the 2025 syllabus instead of the 2026 Dhaka Board paper.
The problem was detected around 11:45 am, about 1 hour and 25 minutes after the exam began. Once the error was identified, the exam process in the two halls was stopped for a short time.
Read More: SSC 2026 Bangla 1st Paper MCQ Solution Dhaka Board
Officials then supplied the correct 2026 question papers to the affected students. They were also given extra time so they could complete the exam without losing marks because of the delay.
Saima Akter, a student of Sinha High School, said students became worried after learning the paper was from the wrong syllabus.
“We were given questions from the 2025 syllabus. When the mistake was found, fear spread among students. Many started crying,” she said.
Centre secretary, Md. Abdul Matin Sarkar said the multiple-choice section was conducted correctly, but the mistake happened in the creative section.
“After we understood the issue, we gave the candidates extra time and provided the 2026 question paper,” he said.
He added that the matter had been reported in writing to the Upazila Nirbahi Officer, district and upazila secondary education officers, and the education board.
Sarkar also admitted that those responsible at the centre made an error during the paper distribution process.
The incident led to anger among many students and guardians outside the centre. Several parents said such mistakes should not happen during a major public examination.
Rabeya Bosri, a guardian, said negligence had caused unnecessary stress for students.
She demanded action against those responsible and said exam authorities must ensure proper management in future examinations.
Sonargaon Upazila Nirbahi Officer Asif Ali Jinnah confirmed that students in two halls were mistakenly given question papers from the old syllabus.
He said steps were taken quickly so students would not face academic loss. The lost time was adjusted through extra time, and the exam was completed with the correct papers.
He also said the matter had been verbally communicated to the Dhaka Education Board.
The incident is likely to increase pressure on local exam authorities to review paper handling procedures before the remaining SSC examinations continue.
