After nearly two hours, it emerged that the question paper was from 2025

An alleged mix-up involving examination papers disrupted the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) History First Paper examination at a centre in Nilphamari’s Kishoreganj Upazila on Sunday, after candidates were reportedly given the previous year’s question paper and only discovered the mistake nearly one hour and 45 minutes into the examination.

The incident took place during the morning session at the Borovita School and College examination centre, prompting authorities to suspend the examination temporarily before distributing the correct 2026 question paper. Candidates were later allowed additional time, with the examination continuing until 2:20 pm.

According to several examinees, the examination began as scheduled at 10:00 am. Students initially answered the questions without realising that they had been handed the 2025 History First Paper instead of the paper prepared for the 2026 HSC examination. They continued writing until around 11:45 am, when the discrepancy was identified.

Once the error came to light, centre authorities halted the examination and distributed the correct question paper. Candidates were then instructed to begin answering the new paper and were granted extended time to compensate for the disruption.

A student identified as Palak said they only realised the mistake after nearly one hour and 45 minutes had passed. After informing an invigilator, the examination authorities checked the paper and replaced it with the correct version.

Another candidate, Hasan, expressed frustration over the incident, claiming that negligence by those responsible for conducting the examination had placed students under unnecessary pressure. He said candidates had already spent a significant amount of time answering questions before learning that the paper was incorrect.

Student Shuvo Mia described the experience as exhausting. He said that by the time a teacher entered the examination room with the correct paper, many candidates had already completed answers to four creative questions. They then had to start again using the new question paper, despite having already spent nearly two hours in the examination hall.

When contacted about the allegations, Borovita School and College Principal and Centre Secretary Badsha Alamgir maintained that the examination had been conducted using the correct question paper. However, after being informed that several students had reported otherwise, he ended the telephone conversation, citing official duties.

Kishoreganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Arifur Rahman confirmed that an investigation committee was being formed to determine how the incident occurred. He said that 479 of the 490 registered candidates attended the examination and clarified that the reported mistake did not affect every examination room at the centre. The inquiry will establish the extent of the error and identify any procedural failures.

Upazila Secondary Education Officer Ashraful Zaman also acknowledged that the authorities were aware of the incident. He said discussions were being held with the UNO to determine the next course of action.

Public examinations play a crucial role in determining students’ academic futures, making strict adherence to examination procedures essential. Any error involving question paper distribution can create significant stress for candidates and raise concerns about examination management. The findings of the official investigation are expected to determine responsibility and recommend measures to help prevent similar incidents in future examinations.