The Higher Secondary Certificate and equivalent examinations witnessed their lowest pass rate in 22 years across the country, with drops recorded across all nine general education boards alongside a significant decline in top-grade achievers. Amid this nationwide downturn, Dhaka's Dr Mahbubur Rahman Molla College recorded an extraordinary academic feat, with a single institution nearly matching the total GPA-5 count of an entire regional education board. Specifically, 1,313 students secured GPA-5 under the Comilla Education Board, while the Jatrabari-based Dhaka college alone produced 1,311 top-grade recipients, falling short of the entire regional board's tally by a mere two students.
According to institutional data, 3,156 students from the college appeared for the examinations, though four could not participate in all tests due to illness and other unavoidable reasons. The institution registered a staggering pass rate of 99.87 percent, with 42 percent of its examinees achieving the coveted GPA-5. A department-wise breakdown revealed that 1,099 students from the science stream, 128 from business studies, and 84 from humanities secured the highest grade.
The campus on Sunday (the exact date corresponding to the report) wore a festive appearance as ecstatic students and teachers celebrated the triumph. Successful examinees thronged the premises, capturing photographs and visiting faculty members alongside their guardians to share their joy as they now prepare for higher education. Students and faculty members attributed the remarkable performance to a collective endeavor built upon regular studies, strict discipline, and unwavering faculty support.
Humanities student Nabila Binte Dastogir, who secured a GPA-5, highlighted the pivotal role played by her instructors, noting that teachers elucidated lessons thoroughly within the classroom itself, sparing students the burden of deciphering complex topics anew at home. Emphasizing the institution's stringent adherence to rules and regulations, she advised incoming students that academic excellence stems from concentrated, mindful study rather than sheer volume of reading, stressing the importance of taking breaks to maintain focus. Ariful Islam, another GPA-5 achiever from the science division, echoed similar sentiments, praising the tireless dedication of the teaching staff who ensured no concept remained unclear.
Situated primarily in the Demra area, Dr Mahbubur Rahman Molla College predominantly serves students from ordinary and middle-class families. Established with a modest cohort of just 261 students, the institution has evolved into a prominent academic center under the Dhaka Education Board, renowned not merely for rote learning but for fostering moral values and disciplined environments to shape well-rounded citizens. Principal Mohammad Obaidullah Noyon asserted that the milestone was the culmination of meticulous, daily planning throughout the academic year rather than an overnight achievement. Chairman and founder Mahbubur Rahman Molla stated that this accomplishment, achieved against the backdrop of a nationwide slide in examination results, would serve as a profound inspiration for future endeavors, reinforcing their vision of delivering quality education coupled with moral development.
