Start central placement system for freshmen

The University Grants Commission has urged the public universities that are holding uniform admission tests to introduce a central placement system for students to universities and subjects of their choice.

At a meeting with vice chancellors yesterday, the UGC also urged them to "fix the admission form fees rationally" to reduce the financial burden on admission seekers and their guardians.

"We have urged the authorities of Dhaka, Rajshahi, Chattogram and Jahangirnagar universities to form a cluster and hold uniform admission tests to make the process easier for admission seekers," said Prof Dil Afroza Begum, acting UGC chairman.

She said they have urged the universities to set up the admission test centres at the divisional level.

It was also decided that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman University, Kishoreganj, and Chandpur Science and Technology University, will both join the cluster of science and technology and general public universities, which hold uniform admission tests, said Prof Muhammed Alamgir, a UGC member.

He added that Habiganj Agricultural University will join the cluster of agriculture universities.

The authorities of 20 general, science and technology (GST) public universities conducted a uniform entrance test for the first time last year, while Seven agriculture universities held cluster admission tests for the second straight year. The year before that, three engineering and technology universities also held uniform admission tests for the first time.

In 2021, admission seekers struggled due to non-cooperation in the admission process. The authorities of the general, science and technology (GST) universities cluster then held a uniform admission test and graded students based on that.

After that, 20 universities separately called for applications and stated their conditions in their admission advertisement. They completed the admission process separately at different times. 

"As the admission process runs separately and students change their subjects and universities, many seats in some universities remain vacant," Alamgir said.

"If a centralised placement in universities and subjects were ensured for students based on their choice, their hassles will come down. The number of vacant seats at universities will also fall drastically."

He said that cluster of agriculture universities already follows this procedure.

Prof Munaz Ahmed Noor, VC of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Digital University, said that it is possible to have a central placement system for students.

"But the admission test and admission process of the cluster should take place after the admission test and admission process of popular universities," said Munaz who was chief of the GST cluster's technical committee last year.

Another VC, preferring anonymity, said it will be tough for GST cluster universities to give admission seekers placement at universities and subject as the nature of these universities are different from each other.

At the meeting, the UGC also urged universities to reduce the number of seats of departments that students show less interest in.

It asked the Bangladesh Bishwabidyalaya Parishad, an association of public university vice-chancellors, to take a decision on allowing students to appear for intake tests for the second time and fix the syllabus of admission tests.

They made the calls at a time when many admission seekers are worried about their preparations for the upcoming public university entrance exams as most of the institutions are yet to decide whether the exam syllabus would be shortened.