DU to decentralize intake test, cuts total marks in half

The Dhaka University (DU) authorities have made multiple changes in the 2020-21 academic session’s intake tests.

To curb the spread of coronavirus, the university will not take exams in Dhaka only, it will use the divisional universities as exam centres so that students across the country can attend the intake exam without having to come to Dhaka. 

Also, the total marks distribution have been reduced to 100, while it was 200 in the previous academic sessions since long.

The decisions were taken on Tuesday at a meeting of the Deans' committee presided by the Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman, and they also decided against their previous decision of taking the admission test online.

Sources from the meeting said, of the 100 total marks, 20 marks will be reserved to evaluate each aspirant’s School Secondary Certificate (SSC) and Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) results and admission tests will be held on the rest 80 marks.

A deans' committee member, wishing to remain anonymous, said that out of 80 marks maybe 50 would be for written test and 30 for Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) while in the last academic session these were 45 and 75 respectively out of 120.

Previously, SSC and HSC results were evaluated out of 80, whereas, this time those will be evaluated within 20.

Prof Sadeka Halim, dean of the Social Science faculty of DU said that the distribution of the newly set 80 marks, has not been determined but they would prioritize more on the written part. 

DU Pro-VC (academic) Prof ASM Maksud Kamal said: "We have decided not to hold online admission tests and initially decided to hold division-wise tests to ensure safety of the students considering Covid-19."

"We are willing to set up the centres and hold the test upon talking with the authorities of the universities in divisions across the country," he added.

Minimum criteria for applying into different  units (A/B/C/D) have remained the same and the authorities will fix the dates after the result of the HSC examination is published.