Online Desk: Education Minister Dipu Moni today said there was no scope to defer the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exams scheduled to start on August 17. She urged protesting students to go home and return to their studies.

The minister said this during a press briefing after a national monitoring and disciplinary committee meeting at International Mother Language Institute this afternoon. The announcement came when a section of students has been staging demonstrations in Dhaka and some other parts of the country for deferment of HSC exams.

Dipu Moni also said all coaching centres would remain closed from August 14 to September 25 due to the upcoming HSC exams. This year, the exams will be held on a curtailed syllabus but in full duration and with full marks.

However, the examination for the Information and Communication Technology will be conducted on 75 marks instead of 100. Dipu Moni said the decision to decrease the marks for this subject was made to make it easier for students.