Male-female student ratio to be equal in public universities

The ratio of male and female students is set to be equal in public universities, according to new information from the University Grants Commission (UGC).

Among the newly-admitted students in some universities, the female students are higher in number.

At the primary and secondary level, female students outnumbered their male counterparts much earlier.

Female students are also ahead of male students at the higher secondary college. The girl students were lagging behind at the university level.
According to the UGC latest annual report submitted to the president a few days ago, the ratio of male and female students at the public universities is 52:48.

At the government level, the female students are given some facilities including stipend. Besides, awareness among the guardians has increased. The opportunity for higher education is increasing. New universities are being established and honours have been introduced in many colleges at the local level. For these reasons, the rate of female students at the public universities is increasing.

The UGC has prepared the annual report on the information of 2022. At the time, the number of public universities was 53 while the private universities were 110. Later, some public and private universities have been established.

According to the UGC report, the number of students was 44,15,649 in the public universities including affiliated colleges and madrasas. Of the students, 23,1818 are male students, which is 52 per cent of the total students and 21,13,826 are female students, which is 48 per cent of total students.

In that year, there were 36,676 students in Dhaka Universities. Of the students, female students were over 41 per cent. However, as per the admission in the latest academic year, the rate of female students is higher among the admitted students.

While talking to Prothom Alo, Dhaka University vice chancellor ASM Maksud Kamal, speaking to Prothom Alo, said, "On an average 44 per cent of female students have got admitted for the last five years. In the academic sessions of 2022-23, the rate of admission of female students was 52 per cent. The rate of admission of female students indicates that the female students are proving their merit."

Although the number of male and female students is set to become equal at the public universities, the female students are lagging behind in the private universities.

According to the UGC latest report, there were 3,41,098 students at the private universities. Of the students, 29 per cent are female students while 71 per cent are male students.

After tackling the coronavirus pandemic, the number of students is increasing at higher education. As per information from the last three years, the number of students at the public and private universities was 47,00,000. In the following year, the number of students decreased by about 250,000. There was an impact of coronavirus. However, the universities have turned around within a gap of one year.

The number of students has increased by over 300,000 in 2022. In 2021, there were 44,41,717 students at public and private universities. In the following year, the number increased to 47,56,747 students. Of the increased students, over 2,84,000 students increased at the public universities while around 31,000 students at the private universities.
UGC member and reputed scientist professor Hasina Khan considers the admission of about equal ratio of male and female students at the public universities positive.

She also said, "Now not only the numbers, the female students are obtaining good results as they have less concentration on other issues. Many male students concentrate on other issues."

*This report, originally published in Prothom Alo online edition, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam