Junior Scholarship Exam 2026, UP Election Set for Same Day

The second phase of Union Parishad (UP) polls may be held on December 13 in at least 80 upazilas. The date is also set for the maths paper of the Junior Scholarship Exam.

The same-day plan has raised concern among teachers, students and guardians. The Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee said it will raise the issue with the Election Commission.

Professor Syed Akhtaruzzaman, head of the Board Coordination Committee, spoke on Tuesday, September 15. He said the Election Commission had set a possible date for the polls.

“We will discuss the matter,” he said. The board team will see if the maths exam date can be changed. It will also discuss if the polls can be held on another day.

The Junior Scholarship Exam is set to start on December 8. Students will sit for Bangla on that day. The English paper will be held on December 10.

The maths paper is set for December 13. The Science and Bangladesh and Global Studies papers will be held on December 15.

About 400,000 students across the country will take part in the exam. The date is thus important for many students and their families.

The concern is also linked to exam and polling centres. Teachers and guardians said many schools in different upazilas have been chosen for both uses.

If both events are held on the same day, centre work may become hard to manage. The movement of teachers, students and guardians may also face problems.

Security may be another concern. This may be more serious where the same school is used for both the exam and the poll.

An assistant teacher at a secondary school in Barishal said there are two Junior Scholarship Exam centres in the upazila. Both are also used as polling centres.

The teacher said one of the two centres will be used for the scholarship exam. If a poll is held there on the same day, travel and safety may become a concern.

The teacher said the poll date should be changed.

Earlier, on Monday, September 14, Election Commissioner Retired Brigadier General Abul Fazal Md. Sanaullah spoke to reporters about the poll plan.

He said the polls were planned in seven phases. The plan took several school and national events into account.

These included test exams, annual exams, the Junior Scholarship Exam, SSC and HSC exams, Durga Puja and Eid holidays.

Teachers and guardians, however, said the possible clash needs more coordination. They want the issue to be settled soon.

The Board Coordination Committee will discuss the matter with the Election Commission. Any change to the exam or poll date will depend on further discussion.

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