Secondary School Certificate

Secondary School Certificate (SSC), Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) or Matriculation examination, is a public examination in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal and Maldives conducted by educational boards for the successful completion of the secondary education exam in these countries. Students of 10th grade/class ten can appear in these. It is equivalent to the year 10 of the GCSE in England or the first two years of high schools in United States.

Bangladesh

The SSC^[1] exam is a national-level public examination. This exam marks the end of a student's secondary education. The exam is conducted by various education boards. These boards include the Dhaka Board, Chittagong Board, Rajshahi Board, Barisal Board and 3 others. Each board is responsible for different regions of the country. Success in this exam is very important. This exam determines eligibility for higher secondary education (Class 11 and 12). It also plays a significant role in shaping a student's academic and professional future.

Subjects

Core Subjects:
- All students must study a set of core subjects including Bangla, English, General Mathematics, Information and Communication Technology, Religion (Islam or Hindu or Buddhist or Christian depending on student's religion) and Moral Education.
- These subjects form the foundation of the SSC syllabus and are mandatory for all students.
Group-Specific Subjects:
- Depending on the group (Science, Humanities, or Commerce), students will study additional subjects specific to their stream:
  - Science Group: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Higher Mathematics, Bangladesh and Global Studies.
  - Humanities Group: History, Geography, Civics, Economics and General Science.
  - Commerce Group: Accounting, Business Studies, Economics, Finance and General Science.
- Optional subjects such as Computer Studies, Agriculture, or Home Economics can be selected based on interest.^[2]^[3]

School year and examination timeline

Academic Year:
- The academic year typically starts in January and concludes in December, with major exams and assessments scheduled throughout the year.
- Pre-tests (also known as "Test Exams") are held towards the end of the year to assess a student’s readiness for the SSC exam by their respective school authorities.^[4]
SSC Examination Schedule:
- The SSC exams usually begin in February and can extend into March. The schedule is published by the respective education boards months.
- The results are typically released in May.^[5]

Post-SSC Planning:

Choosing the Right Stream: Students should select their higher secondary stream based on their interests, strengths, and career goals. Guidance from teachers, counselors, and parents is valuable in this decision.

Admission to Colleges: Top-performing students can apply to prestigious institutions, where competition is tough. The admission process starts soon after SSC results.

Considering Future Career Paths: Post-SSC choices influence career paths whether aiming for professional courses like engineering or medicine or pursuing academic disciplines.

India

The Secondary School Certificate (SSC) or Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) is a certification obtained by the High School Students upon the passing of a Secondary Examination at the end of study at the Secondary School Level in India. The SSC or SSLC is obtained on passing the “Class 10th Public Examination” which is commonly referred to as “Class 10th Board Examinations” in India. The SSC is also known as Matriculation in many states of India.^[6]

The SSC exam is considered one of the most important exams in India. The percentage of your SSC exams determine which field the child will opt for only having Commerce The SSC exams form a base for HSC exams which students appear for 2 years after the SSC exams. The exam is also known as Board Exams. Students of the SSC Board appear for the SSC Board Exams.

Pakistan

Secondary School Certificate is a public exam for classes 9 and 10 separately. Class 9 exam is called SSC part-1 and class 10 exam is called SSC part-2. This exam is conducted by government boards, officially known as Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education, or simply BISE. Provincial boards conduct the exams at provincial level and Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education conducts the exams at federal level. Every province has its own boards stationed in main districts of the provinces. Exams are held usually in March & April. Groups include Science group & Arts/Humanities group at SSC level. In the early 2000s, Computer Science was added as an option in place of Biology, and that is the only option Science students can opt for. Upon clearing both the SSC Part-1 and SSC Part-2 examinations, students are awarded with the official secondary school certification (SSC) qualification.

Maldives

Secondary School Certificate examinations for Dhivehi and Islam are mandatory for Maldivian students studying in Grade 10. This certificate is checked when accepting job applications in the Maldives for Maldivians.

Nigeria

The Junior Secondary Certificate (JSC) examinations in Nigeria predicts the performance of students in the Senior Secondary Certificate (SSC) examinations.^[7]