Even the Top Colleges Did Not Pass Everyone: 158 Fail at Viqarunnisa, 10 at Holy Cross

Many students have failed this year’s HSC examination despite studying at the country’s best-known colleges. An analysis of the 2026 HSC results shows that although the pass rate at several of the capital’s leading colleges was above 98 to 99 percent, a number of their students still failed.

Alongside large numbers of GPA-5 achievers, the results published on Saturday also reveal failures among a section of students at these institutions. Holy Cross College, Viqarunnisa Noon School and College, Notre Dame College, Rajuk Uttara Model College and Dhaka College recorded satisfactory pass rates, yet none of them passed all of their students.

According to Dhaka Education Board results, Holy Cross College’s pass rate is 99.62 percent. A total of 816 students from the college obtained GPA-5.

Holy Cross College had 1,308 candidates; 1,303 sat the examination and 1,298 of them passed. Ten students appear on the overall list of those who failed.

This year 2,377 students from Viqarunnisa Noon School and College sat the examination. Of them, 2,238 passed and 158 failed. A total of 416 students obtained GPA-5. The institution’s pass rate this year is 94.15 percent.

Notre Dame College’s pass rate is 98.83 percent. This year 3,272 students from the college sat the examination and 3,218 passed. A total of 2,229 students obtained GPA-5, while 54 failed.

At Rajuk Uttara Model College, another renowned institution in the capital, 1,626 of 1,636 candidates passed and 10 failed. Its pass rate is 99.39 percent, and 829 students from the institution obtained GPA-5.

At Dhaka College, 1,136 students sat the examination and 1,129 passed, meaning seven students failed. Its pass rate is 99.38 percent, and 688 students obtained GPA-5.

The picture at the famous colleges becomes clearer when compared with the national results. This year the pass rate in the HSC and equivalent examinations across the country is 52.12 percent. A total of 646,685 candidates passed, and 40,084 students obtained GPA-5.

Earlier, at 11am on Saturday, Education Minister Dr A N M Ehsanul Haque Milon inaugurated the result publication event. Results are available from the education ministry’s website, educational institutions and examination centres, and students can also check them by SMS on mobile phones.

According to educationists, an institution’s success cannot be judged only by the number of students obtaining GPA-5. Attention must also be paid to how many students failed, why their results were poor, and what steps are being taken to improve the quality of education.