Dhaka Central University draft finalised: School-based system instead of faculties, 7 colleges to remain unchanged

The education ministry has finalised the draft ordinance for the establishment of the proposed Dhaka Central University (DCU), accommodating seven major government colleges in the capital. In the wake of prolonged debate and protests, significant changes have been made to the structure outlined in the earlier draft.

Under the revised draft, the new university will adopt a school-based academic system in place of traditional faculties. However, the seven colleges will retain their individual identities, characteristics, infrastructure, and movable and immovable assets. Academic activities at the colleges will continue largely in their current form.

In the initial draft, there had been plans to introduce school-based academic programmes by grouping colleges together. For example, the campuses of Dhaka College, Eden Mohila College and Begum Badrunnesa Government Women’s College were to host the School of Science. This arrangement has been dropped in the revised version.

Once the new university is established, these colleges will function as “affiliated” colleges of Dhaka Central University, while the university will simultaneously run its own academic programmes. Until now, the colleges had been affiliated with the University of Dhaka.

A source at the education ministry said efforts were underway to place the draft ordinance before the advisory council of the interim government for approval as soon as possible.

Discussions with teachers and students indicate that they have no objection to the revised draft. The Saat College Biswabidyaloy Rupantor Andolon, a platform of the protesting students of seven colleges, continues to demand the issuance of the ordinance for the Dhaka Central University.

However, teachers and higher secondary-level students at the colleges have, for the time being, suspended their protests.

The crisis surrounding these seven colleges is not new. In 2017, they were affiliated with the University of Dhaka from the National University without adequate preparation.

The colleges are: Dhaka College, Eden Mohila College, Begum Badrunnesa Government Women’s College, Shaheed Suhrawardy College, Kabi Nazrul College, Government Bangla College and Titumir College.

Prolonged administrative and academic complications led to student protests, following which the government announced in January last year that the colleges would be separated from the University of Dhaka.

The decision to merge them into a new university followed, but disagreements over the proposed structure sparked fresh protests. In response, the Ministry of Education revised the draft ordinance.

According to the final draft, a university named Dhaka Central University will be established in Dhaka under this law. Provision has been made for the construction of a self-contained infrastructure for the university. Until a permanent campus is built, academic activities may be conducted in rented buildings or temporary locations if necessary.

The seven colleges will remain as affiliated colleges of the new university. Their identities, characteristics, infrastructure, movable and immovable assets, and other facilities will remain intact.

The draft ordinance defines “affiliated colleges” as institutions offering bachelor’s, honours and master’s degree programmes that are academically linked to the university and follow its prescribed curricula, examinations and certification procedures.

Affiliated colleges will be public educational institutions. Each college principal will be responsible for internal administration and discipline. Students’ tuition and other fees will be determined in accordance with university regulations. The colleges will be required to comply with the university’s statutes, rules and regulations.

The draft ordinance further states that by 31 December each year, every college must submit to the vice-chancellor (VC) a report on its activities during the previous academic year, including information on faculty numbers, administrative changes, student enrolment, income and expenditure, and other relevant matters.

The new university will arrange in-service and research training for teachers of the affiliated colleges. It will also undertake development projects to improve the academic environment. Centralised MPhil, PhD and specialised courses will be offered for students of the affiliated colleges.

Under the draft ordinance, the university will have schools of Arts, Science, Social Sciences, Business Studies, Law and Fine Arts, as well as other schools determined by regulation. New schools may be formed through the division or merger of existing faculties or by other means.

Each school will operate under the supervision of the academic council and will be responsible for teaching, curriculum management and research in designated subjects. Schools will function as advisory bodies, with their decisions placed before the Syndicate through the academic council for implementation.

Each school will have a ‘head of school’, appointed from among professors on the basis of academic merit and experience in educational administration, on the recommendation of the VC and approval of the syndicate. The head of school will not hold any other administrative position and will operate under the supervision of the VC.

The term “school” is defined as a coordinated structure comprising various departments or disciplines related to the university’s academic management, effectively serving as an alternative to faculties.

While universities such as the University of Dhaka operate departments under faculties, a school-based system is already in place at the Open University, for example the School of Social Science, Humanities and Language.

The National University also has schools in a different format, such as the School of Undergraduate Studies, headed by a dean. In Dhaka Central University, however, the head will be designated as “Head of School”.

Under the draft ordinance, the university will be responsible for determining curricula, conducting examinations, designing and running undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, awarding degrees, diplomas and certificates, and collaborating with higher education institutions and individuals at home and abroad on education and research, including joint programmes.

The university will be empowered to create and fill posts for teachers, researchers and staff as required. Provision has been made for the appointment of teaching assistants on an honorarium basis. With approval from the Secondary and Higher Education Division, foreign nationals may also be appointed as teachers or experts.

The draft also provides for the establishment of residential halls, student union elections and co-curricular activities.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) will be able to inspect and investigate the university where necessary, based on complaints from the government, individuals or institutions, media reports or other sources.

The president of the country will serve as the chancellor of the university and will appoint a vice-chancellor for a four-year term from a three-member panel nominated by the Senate. No individual may serve more than two terms as VC. The chancellor will have the authority to revoke the appointment at any time.

The university will have a VC, pro-VC, a treasurer, heads of school, teachers, officers and staff. The head of each department or discipline will be designated as chair.

Admissions to schools or departments of the university and its affiliated colleges will be based on merit rankings determined by SSC and HSC or equivalent examination results, admission test scores and student preferences. Admission criteria will be set out in regulations.

Students’ tuition and fees for the university’s annual operating expenses (excluding capital expenditure), payment procedures and scholarship provisions will be determined through regulations. Fees will be payable on a semester basis, or monthly where applicable. Detailed operational matters of the university will also be governed by regulations.

Regulations may be framed covering curricula and syllabuses for degree programmes at the university and affiliated colleges, eligibility criteria for sitting examinations and obtaining degrees, and examination administration and assessment procedures.

Two teachers from Dhaka College, speaking to Prothom Alo on condition of anonymity, said they had no objection to the revised draft. Students, they added, now want the ordinance to be issued without delay.