Almost half of the students, who get admitted to Dhaka University every year, are the ones who take the admission test twice to pass, which denies the recently HSC-passed students their chances to get a spot at what is considered the most prestigious public university in the country.
These second-time candidates are either students who failed at their first attempt at getting into the university, or those who – after their successful first attempt – got admitted to a department that they did not prefer.
Because of the practice of switching departments, around 400 seats are left vacant every session at the university.
The Dhaka Tribune found the information by analysing the last three year’s admission results provided by the Dhaka University central admission office.
In most of the public universities, students who fulfil admission requirements are able to sit for the exam twice.
University sources said many students took the opportunity to appear twice in the admission tests – a chance that is also available at most public universities – as it allows them more time to prepare to secure a seat in their desired department.
Many seats are also left vacant each year when a large number of previously admitted students leave the DU after failing to get into their desired departments even after their second attempt, while many others also leave during the middle of their first year of studies, the sources added.
Many fresh admission seekers claimed that the second-time candidates managed to get better scores in the test as they got more time to prepare.
Md Mamun-Or-Rashid, member of the Dhaka University central admission committee and a teacher of computer science and engineering department, told the Dhaka Tribune that seats at other public universities also become vacant when their students secure admission to Dhaka University on their second try.
Terming the situation a “circle,” Mamun claimed that thousands of seats at different public universities were left empty each year as a result.
“We only know the number of seats left vacant by students who changed departments after their second admission attempt. But we do not know how many students leave the university after attending their second admission test,” he added.
Sources said the business of coaching centres was flourishing as a result, because the centres were able to attract second-time candidates to seek their service for longer periods of time.
In a bid to stop such practice among students, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) stopped offering applicants the chance to sit twice for admission from the 2004-05 academic session. Engineering universities at Khulna, Chittagong and Rajshahi also followed Buet.
Buet Registrar AKM Masud told the Dhaka Tribune that only the students who passed the latest HSC exams are allowed to appear in the admission test only once.
“A large number of students change university after sitting for the second admission test, while some students also change departments because they fail to get admitted in their desired department. As a result, their previous seats remain vacant. On the other hand, the preparation level of the fresh high school graduates and the second-time students also have a huge difference. That is why we stopped offering the chance.
“Vacant seats mean that lots of students are failing to get the chance of acquiring higher education,” Masud added.
According to the Dhaka University central admission office, in the admission test for the 2013-14 session, 89,800 of the total 192,221 candidates were second-time applicants. In 2012-13 session the number of second-time applicants was 96,756 among a total 235,703 candidates; and in 2011-12 session it was 82,289 among a total 199,046 students.
On the other hand, among the 6,896 students who got admitted for the 2013-14 session, 3,683 had appeared in the admission test for their second attempt. In 2012-13 session, the number was 3,283 among 6,617 students; and in 2011-12 session, it was 3,338 among 6,663 total admitted students.
During the 2013-14 academic session, 421 seats were left vacant by students who changed departments after sitting in their second admission test. For 2012-13 session, the number was 416; and for 2011-12 session, it was 429 seats.
Sources claimed that the Dhaka University authority was unwilling to stop offering students the chance to sit in admission tests twice, as such a move was likely to cause lower sale of admission forms and consequently lower income for the DU. Serajul Islam Choudhury, professor emeritus of Dhaka University, told the Dhaka Tribune that the system needs to be changed.
“Students who are changing their departments after attending in the second admission test are occupying two seats. As a result, lots of students are failing to get admitted to the university. On the other hand, the preparation level of the fresher and second-time students are not the same. So, proper evaluation is not possible through this system,” he said.
Nasrin Ahmad, pro-vice-chancellor (education) of Dhaka university, also admitted about the problem. She told the Dhaka Tribune: “It is true that few seats are remaining vacant because of the second-time admission test chance. But every year we are taking more students than our capacity to fill the vacancy.
“Lots of teachers among us think this system should be changed. Maybe in future the system will be changed,” she added.