Madrasas Revive Scholarship Exams for Class 5 Students

The Bangladesh Madrasa Education Board has announced the reinstatement of the Ibtidayi Scholarship Examination for Class 5 students in all Ibtidayi madrasas, mirroring the scholarship exams for government primary schools. The exams, scheduled for December 21, 22, 23, 24, and 28, 2025, will cover approximately 40% of Class 5 students from board-registered independent and affiliated Ibtidayi madrasas. The decision was formalized in an office order signed by the board’s examination controller, Professor Dr. Mohammad Kamrul Ahsan, on Wednesday, August 6, 2025.

The scholarship exams will assess five subjects: Quran Majeed and Aqaid-Fiqh, Arabic (First and Second Papers), Bangla, English, and Mathematics and Science, with questions for Quran Majeed and Aqaid-Fiqh, Arabic First and Second Papers, and Mathematics and Science combined. Each subject carries 100 marks, totaling 500 marks. The board will soon publish a detailed syllabus and mark distribution.

Only students from madrasas with a Bangladesh Madrasa Education Board code are eligible, with participation capped at 40% of enrolled Class 5 students. Successful candidates will receive monthly stipends and priority in secondary school admissions. This marks the return of the scholarship exam after a 16-year hiatus, previously discontinued in 2009 following the introduction of the Primary Education Completion (PEC) exam. A similar scholarship exam for government primary school students is also set for December 21-24, 2025.