Education Minister A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milon on Sunday warned of action against those spreading rumours over question paper leaks during the ongoing Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations, urging students and guardians not to pay heed to misinformation.

The government is being embarrassed by such rumours but remains vigilant to ensure that students do not suffer because of misinformation, he told reporters attending a programme organised by the University Grants Commission (UGC) in the capital.

“We request students and guardians not to pay attention to rumours. We are alert. Even after official statements from the authorities, some people are still spreading rumours. Action will be taken against them,” he said.

Referring to reports based on Telegram groups and social media posts, Milon criticised sections of the media for publishing unverified reports.

“Before publishing reports based on Telegram groups, there should have been proper verification. One cannot rely on Facebook posts alone. Instant comments spread on Facebook like instant coffee. The media also has a responsibility,” he said.

The minister said the government is satisfied with the overall environment of the ongoing SSC examinations.

“So far, we are receiving positive feedback. We are satisfied, teachers are satisfied, students and examinees are also satisfied. We hope the remaining exams will also be completed smoothly with everyone’s cooperation,” he said.

Highlighting the government’s education planning, he said the government is planning  ti designate December as the month for examinations and begin new academic sessions from January in order to minimise academic delays and session backlogs.

“We believe December should be the examination month and new classes should begin from January so that there is no waiting time,” he said.

Milon said coordination among education boards, universities and curriculum authorities would be strengthened to address the academic gap faced by higher secondary students and reduce session jams in university admissions.

He said the authorities are working on aligning curricula, syllabuses and academic schedules to ensure timely completion of courses and smoother admission processes for students transitioning to higher education.