The High Court has declared illegal the decision of the Directorate of Primary Education (DPE) that allowed only government school students to participate in the primary scholarship examinations.
At the same time, the court has directed the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education and the Directorate of Primary Education to organize the scholarship examinations in line with the 2008 Primary Scholarship Examination Policy, allowing students from private educational institutions to participate as well.
The matter was confirmed on Tuesday by the petitioner’s lawyer, Barrister Muntasir Ahmed.
Earlier, on Monday, a High Court bench comprising Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Mia and Justice Rezaul Karim delivered the verdict after the final hearing of the related writ petition.
According to the lawyer, the DPE had issued a circular on July 17, stating that only students of government primary schools would be allowed to take part in the scholarship exams.
Challenging the legality of that decision, Md Faruk Hossain, Director of Keraniganj Public Laboratory School, along with 42 others, including teachers and guardian representatives, filed a writ petition.
After the initial hearing on September 2, the High Court issued a rule suspending the effectiveness of the DPE’s circular. The court asked why the July 17 memo—allowing only government school students to participate—should not be declared ultra vires (beyond legal authority), and why the authorities should not be directed to organize the scholarship exam in accordance with the 2008 policy.
After the final hearing on Monday, the High Court made the rule absolute, thereby finalizing its verdict.
The 2025 government primary school scholarship examinations are scheduled to be held from December 21 to 24.
