The government has decided to admit all students to colleges on the basis of merit, doing away with the previous allocation of 11 percent seats for quota holders.

However, students qualifying for the quota will be admitted to colleges in additional seats after filling up of available seats with general students. The number of seats will be increased based on the number of students admitted under quota.

The changes to the admission guideline for 11th graders for 2018-19 academic session were finalised at a meeting at the education ministry yesterday, with Sohorab Hossain, secretary to Secondary And Higher Education Division, in the chair.

“If no student is found under a particular quota, no seat will be allocated,” said an official who attended the meeting.

Last year, the seats under quotas were filled with general students, he added.

Previously, a total of 11 percent seats were reserved mainly for children and grandchildren of freedom fighters and children of employees at the education ministry and departments under it.

Like previous years, a student can apply to up to 10 institutions of his choice. The education boards will select one college for each 11th grader on the basis of his choice of institution and SSC exams results.

And, there will be no admission test this year as well. The students can apply online or by or sending an SMS.

Filing of applications will start on May 13 and end on May 24. Classes will begin on July 1.

In the admission guideline, the government also fixed the admission fees.

Some 20.31 lakh students from 28,551 educational institutions sat for the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations this year under 10 education boards. The exams began February 1.

The results will be published on May 6.