DU admission: Decision on tests today
Dhaka University (DU) has decided to admit first year undergraduate students through admission tests. But, the authorities are yet to decide whether the admission tests will be taken online or in-person.
Earlier on 18 October, the issue was discussed at a meeting of the university's deans’ committee. The final decision on the method of admission tests will be taken at another deans’ meeting today, Tuesday.
Professor Sadeka Halim, dean of the social sciences faculty, told Prothom Alo that a meeting of the deans’ committee will be held on 20 October. A final decision on the admission test will be taken there.
In addition to the final decision on the admission test, the meeting on Tuesday may also set a possible date for the admission test.
Due to the coronavirus outbreak, the vice-chancellors of the universities earlier decided in principle to take admission test online for the public universities. The software developed under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Digital University vice-chancellor professor Munaz Ahmed Noor may be used for the tests. On 17 October, the university council, a platform of vice-chancellors, took the decision.
However, the matter will be finalised in consultation with the education ministry and the University Grants Commission (UGC).
Vice chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Digital University Munaz Ahmed Noor said, there are pros and cons to everything. In the current situation of coronavirus, it is not possible to take admission tests physically.
He said due to the limitations of this software, the universities have been asked to take an experimental internal test first.
“It is possible to take online admission test by making use of its experience and updating it. And international standards have been maintained in this software,” he said.
Bangladesh Bishwabidyalaya Parishad president and Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) VC Mohammad Rafiqul Alam told Prothom Alo that the meeting decided to hold admission tests.
It has been decided that admission tests would be taken to enroll students at universities. But whether tests will be taken in person or online will be decided after further discussion with the government and UGC.
Asked about the date of admission tests, CUET VC said it depends on the publication HSC results. Decision on admission tests’ date would be finalised after another meeting next month.
The government has decided to evaluate HSC candidates on the basis of average results of JSC, SSC and equivalent examinations instead of taking examinations.
There are 46 government and autonomous universities in the country. Of them 39 government universities admit students directly.
Earlier, in February last year, it was decided that admission tests would be conducted in three clusters. Only Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and four autonomous universities (Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University, Rajshahi University and Chittagong University) will take separate admission tests.