Dhaka, Feb. 15 -- A total of 19,359 students across the country were absent on the first day of the nationwide SSC and equivalent exams on Thursday.

Of these absences, 9,731 were under the nine education boards, 7,660 were under the madrasa board, and 1,968 were under the technical board, according to a notice signed by Prof Tapan Kumar, president of the inter-education board coordinating committee.

Of the 1,782,992 students who were scheduled to sit for the public exams at 3,691 examination centres, 1.09 were absent.

In addition, 24 students were expelled for engaging in cheating. Of them, 11 were taking exams under the technical board, seven under the madrasa board, four under the Mymensingh board, and two under the Barishal board. A...