The Ministry of Primary and Mass Education of Bangladesh has issued the 'Primary Scholarship Examination Policy 2026' to evaluate meritorious students in primary education. Signed by Secretary Abu Taher Md Masud Rana, the policy was published on the Directorate of Primary Education’s website. Under the new rules, the scholarship exam will now carry a total of 400 marks, and all related activities from 2026 will follow this policy. The 2025 exam will also be held under this framework as a special arrangement.

According to the policy, up to 40 percent of fifth-grade students from each school, based on their fourth-grade cumulative results, can participate. Participation is mandatory for all government primary schools, while private schools must follow the NCTB curriculum and be active in the IPEMIS system. The exam will cover Bangla, English, Mathematics, Bangladesh and Global Studies, and Primary Science, each worth 100 marks. Two types of scholarships—Talent Pool and General—will be awarded, maintaining equal gender representation and separate quotas for government and private institutions.

A national steering committee and local-level committees will oversee the exams, with strict disciplinary measures for irregularities. All previous scholarship policies, including that of 2008, have been repealed.