BNP lawmaker Harunur Rashid today in the parliament demanded that the government amend the University Ordinance 1973 to force the four leading public universities to accept uniform admission test.

Speaking on a point of order, the opposition MP also urged Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, to issue a ruling so that the government can introduce the uniform admission test from this year removing all barriers.

"The vice chancellors of 28 universities sat in a meeting on Tuesday. It's a matter of concern that some VCs of major universities, including Dhaka University and Buet, are talking about the 1973 ordinance and showing unwillingness to accept the uniform admission test," he said referring to media reports.

As per the 1973 ordinance, the authorities of the leading universities can take decisions about their academic activities on their own.

According to media reports, four leading universities -- Dhaka University, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet), Jahangirnagar University and Chittagong University -- are unwilling to adopt the uniform admission system.

Harun said students and their guardians have to go undergo serious sufferings during the admission tests at different universities. "So, uniform admission test must be introduced from this year."

There are 39 public universities, which enroll around 65,000 students every year through separate admission tests. Last year, some 9.88 lakh students passed the HSC and its equivalent examinations under the 10 education boards.