The number of students, who passed this year’s HSC and equivalent examinations with distinction, exceeds the seats available in the public universities by more than 4,000.
This means that not everyone with distinction – a grade point average of five or GPA 5 – will be able to be enrolled for undergraduate studies in a public university, which students usually prefer over private ones.
Given the existing system of admission tests, it therefore becomes virtually impossible for a student without distinction to get into one of these government-funded tertiary education providers for a bachelor’s degree.
The results of these year’s Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations – published Sunday – show that a total of 42,894 students scored GPA 5.
According to the University Grants Commission (UGC), the country’s tertiary education regulator, total seats available in the 32 public universities is 38,121.
Of these, Dhaka University offers 6,433 seats, Jahangirnagar 2,235, Chittagong 4,086, Rajshahi 3,615, Khulna 979 and Jagannath University 2,845 seats.
Universities offer engineering degrees include Buet 1,000 seats, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology 1,572, Cuet 630, Ruet 660 and Kuet 720. The 29 government medical colleges and nine dental colleges enroll 3,162 and 532 students respectively every year.
Together these universities and colleges, which feature right at the top of the students’ preference list, can accommodate a total 28,469 students.
For getting into a public university or a medical school, students have to sit for a two-part test, comprising the marks of an entrance examination and a composite score based on HSC and SSC results.
An undergrad candidate with GPA 5 scores in both SSC and HSC exams is clearly at an advantage over those without, even before sitting the entrance test.
In the traditional division system before the grading system came into effect in 2003, there were only six general education boards alongside the madrasa and vocational education boards.
At that time, only 160 students could pass SSC and HSC examinations with distinction – each of the eight boards had their own 20-student merit lists.
The grading system was introduced in line with global practices, but the traditional system meant that those without distinction also got a fair shot at the public university admission tests.
“I will try my best for a spot in Dhaka University or Buet. But there are thousands of students like me who also have the same choice. So, despite all the hard work, I cannot be sure about getting a chance in these institutions because the number of seats is very limited,” said Feni resident Nadia Ahmed who scored GPA 5 in this year’s HSC exam.
Dhaka University
The minimum GPA requirement to take the Dhaka University admission test is 3.5. But it is highly unlikely that someone with that kind of a grade will be able to get into the top public university in the country even if they do extremely well in the admission test.
This year however the competition for a spot will be a touch easier because those who passed the HSC examination last year will not be allowed to take the admission test again.
But the rest of the public universities in the country will allow second-time candidates to sit the entrance examinations.
Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique said: “We will have an academic council meeting on August 13. We will discuss about the admission process since the admission will be based on the demographic profile of a student in both SSC and HSC.”
Alternatives
Just like the last few years – when the number of students with distinction was way higher than this year – most of those with lower grades will have to opt for a college affiliated with the National University or private education.
The National University, through its affiliated colleges across the country, offers 539,257 seats.
However, UGC and Education Ministry officials said that rural colleges, affiliated with the National University, do not get enough students because of a perception that the quality of education provided by these institutions is poor.
Former UGC chairman AK Azad Chowdhury said: “Students do not want to go to rural government colleges because there is a discrepancy between their expectation the quality of education.
“But the quality of teaching in these colleges is good. The problem is that there is a shortage of senior teachers. Except for the departmental heads, most teachers are young,” he said.
Ministry officials said that just like doctors, senior teachers do not want to stay in the colleges in rural areas for long; they get transferred to the government colleges in the cities.
“If I fail to get admission in public universities, I will have to opt for private universities although they are expensive,” said Mohiuddin Ahmed from Comilla who a 4.94 GPA in HSC this year.
Prof AK Azad Chowdhury also said that the universities will be able to accommodate around 40% of the successful students this year and the rest will have to opt for either National University or private universities for completing higher education.
Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid said there will be no crisis of seats for students pursuing higher education. “All students, who passed the exam, will get chance to pursue higher education.”
He however admitted that all students will not be able to enroll in an educational institution of their choice.
According to the UGC, there were 145,025 seats in the 78 private universities in the country.
This year, HSC and equivalent examinations registered a 69.6% pass rate – lowest since 2008 – compared to last year’s 78.33%.
A total of 1,061,614 students from 8,294 educational institutions from across the country appeared in 2,420 examination centres. Among them, 738,872 passed.
