DHAKA — After government primary schools, ebtedayee madrasas across the country will also hold a Class 5 merit scholarship examination, with the test set for December. Up to 40% of students will be eligible to sit the exam.
The decision was confirmed in an office order signed by Prof. Mohammad Kamrul Ahsan, controller of examinations at the Bangladesh Madrasa Education Board, on Wednesday, Aug. 6.
According to the order, the 2025 ebtedayee scholarship exam will be held on Dec. 21, 22, 23, 24 and 28. The exams will cover five subject groups: Quran Majid and Aqaid-Fiqh; Arabic (papers one and two); Bangla; English; and mathematics and science. Quran Majid and Aqaid-Fiqh, Arabic papers one and two, and mathematics and science will be combined into single papers. Each subject carries 100 marks, for a total of 500.
Only students of independent ebtedayee madrasas and attached ebtedayee branches registered with the Bangladesh Madrasa Education Board may sit the exam. Up to 40% of Class 5 students at each madrasa may participate.
A detailed syllabus and mark distribution will be released by the board soon, the directive said.
Earlier, on July 17, authorities announced plans to hold the scholarship exam for government primary schools nationwide. That exam is also expected to take place in December, with possible dates between Dec. 21 and 24.
Students who pass the revived scholarship exam will receive a monthly stipend at fixed rates and priority in secondary school admission. The exam had been suspended since the 2009 launch of the Primary School Completion (PEC) examination.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report