The SSC and equivalent exams begin today across the country amid concern over political violence as the indefinite blockade by the BNP-led 20-party alliance continues.

A total of 14,79,266 students will take the exams under 10 education boards.

“The exams will begin on time. I hope BNP will not enforce another hartal at least on weekends and impede the exams,” Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid said.

The exams were due to begin on Monday, but the education ministry had to reschedule those for today from 9:00am to 12:00 noon due to a shutdown.

Today, the SSC examinees will take the Bengali 1st paper, while Dakhil students Quran Mazid and Tazbid and the students of the technical education board Bengali-2 exams in two shifts.

The second day's exams, which were slated for Wednesday, have been rescheduled for tomorrow from 10:00am to 1:00pm.

The governmen will deploy 326 platoons of BGB (about 10,000) members across the country today to ensure security of the examinees, sources said.

Mustafizur Rahman, guardian of an SSC examinee from Dhanmondi, said they were concerned over travelling to and from the exam hall the amid ongoing violence.

“Students' preparations have already been hampered due to the rescheduling of the exams. I'm not sure how they would do in the exams under such a huge mental pressure,” he added.