6 Key Instructions for 2027 SSC Candidates on Form Fill-Up

The Dhaka Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board has issued instructions on form fill-up for candidates appearing in the 2027 Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations, outlining several important rules regarding GPA improvement, irregular candidates, failed subjects, syllabuses and selection tests.

The instructions were published in a notice signed by Professor Md Zakir Hossain, deputy controller of examinations at the board, on Saturday (October 17).

Here are six key instructions candidates need to know.

1. GPA improvement

Candidates who passed all subjects in the 2026 SSC examinations but secured a GPA below 5.00 will be eligible to sit for the 2027 examinations to improve their GPA, provided their registration remains valid.

They must sit for examinations in all subjects under the full 2026 syllabus. If their GPA improves based on the 2027 results, the improved result will be accepted. Otherwise, their previous GPA will remain valid.

Candidates seeking GPA improvement must submit printed, attested photocopies of their previous examination admit cards and academic transcripts along with their application documents.

2. Candidates previously expelled

Candidates who were expelled from an examination may sit for the 2027 SSC examinations as irregular candidates if their period of punishment has expired and their registration remains valid.

They must take examinations in all subjects.

3. Rules on fourth-subject benefits

Candidates registered in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years who did not sit for the 2025 or 2026 SSC examinations will be allowed to appear as irregular candidates in 2027, taking examinations in all subjects, including the fourth subject.

Candidates from these registration years who sat for all subjects in the 2025 or 2026 SSC examinations, passed the fourth subject but failed in one to four other subjects, will be eligible for the fourth-subject benefit if they pass the previously failed subject or subjects in the 2027 examinations.

4. Syllabus and assessment rules

Irregular candidates and those sitting for GPA improvement will take examinations based on question papers prepared according to the syllabuses used for the 2025 and 2026 SSC examinations.

Regular candidates will sit for examinations based on the syllabus prescribed for the 2027 SSC examinations.

For students of all registration years, marks obtained through continuous assessment in Physical Education, Health Science and Sports, and Career Education must be provided by educational institutions to the relevant examination centres in accordance with National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) guidelines.

The examination centres must submit the marks obtained through continuous assessment online to the education board's website alongside practical examination marks. The original handwritten mark sheets for practical and continuous assessments must also be submitted in person to the board's Secondary Examination Division.

5. Selection tests are mandatory for most candidates

Participation in selection tests is compulsory for all students, except those seeking GPA improvement and those who have already sat for the SSC examinations and failed.

6. Eligibility rules for irregular candidates

The board has outlined several categories of candidates who may appear as irregular candidates in the 2027 SSC examinations.

Candidates registered in 2023-24 and 2024-25: Those who did not sit for the 2025 or 2026 SSC examinations may appear in 2027 through their respective educational institutions as irregular candidates. They cannot be treated as regular candidates under any circumstances.

Candidates who failed in 2026: Those who sat for all subjects in the 2026 SSC examinations but failed in one to four subjects, excluding the fourth subject, may retake the failed subject or subjects in 2027 if their registration remains valid. They may also choose to sit for all subjects.

Candidates who failed in 2025 and again in 2026, or did not sit in 2026: Candidates who failed in one to three subjects, excluding the fourth subject, in the 2025 SSC examinations and either did not sit for the 2026 examinations or failed in one or more subjects again may sit for the 2027 examinations as irregular candidates, provided their registration remains valid. They may take examinations in their previously failed subjects or in all subjects. Those opting to sit only for selected subjects will not be allowed to take the fourth-subject examination.

Candidates with expired registration from 2022-23: Students registered in the 2022-23 academic year whose registration has expired but who still have one failed subject, excluding the fourth subject, may receive a special one-year extension of their registration. They will then be allowed to sit for the failed subject in the 2027 SSC examinations as irregular candidates.

For candidates covered by the rules on failed subjects, from the categories described above, grade points earned in previously passed subjects will be retained. Their final GPA will be calculated by combining the grade points earned in the subjects taken in 2027 with the retained grade points from previously passed subjects.

Candidates with expired registration who qualify for the special extension must have their institution head submit the original registration card to the office of the school inspector before form fill-up and collect the renewed registration card.