Dhaka, April 26 -- Absenteeism has remained strikingly high on the third day of the SSC and equivalent examinations, with 34,054 candidates staying away and 40 expelled amid tight oversight.

According to the Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee, Sunday's examinations saw 15,599 absentees under the nine general education boards,

Moreover, 14,963 were absent from the Madrasah Education Board's Dakhil exams, and 3,492 skipped the Technical Education Board's vocational tests.

The examinations were held simultaneously from 10am to 1pm at 3,875 centres across the country.

SSC candidates under the nine general education boards sat for the English First Paper on the third day.

Dakhil and vocational students took their Mathematics pap...