Students can sit for test only once

The High Court yesterday upheld the Dhaka University's decision that barred the admission seekers from sitting for the admission test more than once.

The bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo rejected a writ petition challenging the legality of the DU's decision.

Following the verdict, an admission seeker will not get more than one chance to appear in the admission test of the DU, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam told The Daily Star.

DU's lawyer AFM Mesbahuddin said the HC rejected the petition after accepting his arguments.

He told the court that many of the students, who have already been admitted to the DU, sit for the second time in admission test to switch to their desired subjects. 

When they move to their subject of choice after being selected through the second time test, many seats in the original departments remain vacant, he said.

As a result, a good number of first-timers do not get a chance in the university, which is a national loss, he added.

Petitioners' counsel Subrata Chowdhury told The Daily Star that his clients would file an appeal with the Supreme Court, challenging the verdict.

On March 12, guardians of 26 admission seekers filed the petition with the HC.

The petitioners said the DU authorities' decision taken on October 15 last year is a violation of the fundamental principle of equal opportunity for education.

Articles 15, 17 and 19 of the constitution have ensured equal education opportunity for all, they said.