In the wake of the Dhaka University admission test result fiasco, the education minister and the university authorities have played the blame game over what led to such a disaster - quality of education or the university’s admission process.
While the education minister termed the admission test flawed, university authorities defended, saying it is a scientific method.
A mere 9.55% candidates passed in this year’s admission test for Kha (B) unit at Dhaka University. Besides, only two students achieved the required score to be enrolled in the English department.
Latest, only 3.10% candidates passed the “Cha” (fine arts) unit admission this year.
DU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique announced the results at 6:30pm yesterday, reports our DU Correspondent.
The standard of education was questioned by many when admission test results were published, revealing the poor performance of the candidates.
‘It is faulty’
Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid at a press conference in the secretariat yesterday said the admission test at Dhaka University contained flaws. He also said tough questions were deliberately included in the question paper so that the majority of the candidates failed.
“If the university authorities can run the English department with only two students and if that is their principal then let them do it,” Nahid said.
The minister asked the university teachers to be more responsible and not to ruin the future of the students.
University defends
Responding to the education minister’s remarks, Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University AAMS Arefin Siddique said the admission test was a scientifically designed one.
“We have an entrance exam that is not only scientific but also logical and transparent,” he told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.
Arefin also denied the allegation that questions were intentionally made tough.
He said the university would address a problem if the education minister could point it out specifically, adding that no one should question the effectiveness of the admission test.
The vice-chancellor said students who did not succeed in the admission test did not lack talent.
“There are a slew of candidates and we need to select from them,” he said.
Proposal for integrated admission test
The education minister has long been advocating an integrated admission test system for public universities.
The University Grants Commission in several of its reports described the present university admission system expensive and difficult for students.
In its 2010 annual report, the commission urged to modify the enrolment process, terming it too expensive, questionable and dependent on private coaching. It has advocated an integrated system to hold admission tests for admitting freshers to the public universities.
Under the recommended system, admission tests at universities that are of the same type will be held centrally where the candidates will sit for a single admission test.
UGC sources said the proposal failed to make progress mainly in the face of some public universities opposing it. The opposition was believed to have stemmed from the fact that the universities would miss the opportunity to make money by selling application forms for admission tests.
There have also been allegations that a section of teachers are involved in the private coaching business and oppose reforms to the admission system.
Arefin told the Dhaka Tribune they had modernised the admission system and more changes would be made, if needed.
“We arrange the admission test as per the university’s needs and an integrated system might lead to problems for us,” he added.
‘Cha’ unit results
A total of 7,292 students sat for the tests held on September 13, out of which, 226 students passed for the available 135 seats.
The results are available at www.admission.eis.du.ac.bd. In order to get results through SMS, candidates can type “du” <space> “kha” <space> “roll number” and send it to 16321 from any operator.
Successful students will be asked to fill-up a ‘choice form’ on the website and submit it within October 14 to October 20. Students who are qualified under quota system will have to collect a form from the concerned dean’s office and submit it within October 12 to October 20.
Moreover, students who want to reevaluate their answer sheets, have to submit application forms including a fee to DU Fine Arts Faculty Dean Office, within 1st October.
