The introduction of automation system in the admission at private medical colleges in the country has drawn mixed reactions from the stakeholders.
People involved in private medical colleges believe that the automation process has created chaos in the admission process, while the health authorities argue that the new system will ensure transparency in the sector.
The automation system has been introduced for the first time in the country to stop irregularities in the admission at private medical colleges. The admission process for the new academic year will be in software. As a result, there is no opportunity for the admission in exchange for money as well as irregularities, said people associated with the health authorities.
According to the Directorate General of Medical Education (DGME), there will be an opportunity for admission on the basis of merit and preference in the admission as per the automation system. The opportunity of admission in exchange of extra money will be stopped due to the new system.
On the other hand, the Bangladesh Private Medical College Association (BPMCA) said that a major crisis has been created in the admission in the private medical colleges for introducing the automation system.
The BPMCA has demanded cancellation of the automation system. The platform has also demanded to maintain the previous rules instead of automation in the admission in the private medical colleges in the country.
The BPMCA has written a letter to the Health and Family Welfare Minister, seeking cancellation of the automation process. Signed by BPMCA President MA Mubin Khan and General Secretary Anwar Hossain Khan, MP, the letter was submitted to the ministry on June 20. The copies of the letter were also sent to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and the Directorate General of Medical Education.
In the letter, it was said that this time a major crisis has been created in the automation process of private medical admission. “In the latest information, we have come to know that on the last date of initial confirmation of admission by depositing Tk. 100 on June 18 in 2023, only three thousand students have confirmed their admission. We think that 30 to 40 per cent of the seats in all private medical colleges in Bangladesh will not be filled due to introduction of the automation system. The private medical colleges are not getting students. As a result, a crisis has been created in the private health education sector. Anger has arisen between the students and the college authorities,” says the letter.
According to the BPMCA, candidates are deprived of the opportunity to get admission to medical colleges based on merit due to the automation system.
MBBS/BDS entrance test is held simultaneously as per the rules. After the admission to public medical colleges based on the result, previously there was an opportunity for students to get admitted to private ones of their choice. However, this year, the automation system has been introduced amid strong opposition from stakeholders.
Although the BPMCA raised objections to the new admission process, the authorities concerned have sent text messages to the candidates on June 13 after fixing colleges for them. However, many students did not get the opportunity to get admission to the colleges of their choice.
BPMCA President MA Mubin Khan said that they are dissatisfied over the new system as the automation system has created a crisis in admission to private medical colleges.
He said that around 49,000 students have passed the medical admission test this year. Of them, only 6,320 candidates applied to the DGME for admission in the private medical colleges. There are 6,500 seats in the private medical colleges in the country that means less than one student is vying for each seat. However, there should be five candidates for each seat, he added.
Under the circumstances, there is no alternative to maintain the previous rules for the sake of the existence of private medical colleges, the BPMCA President told the Bangladesh Post.
Arguing that there is no need to introduce the automation system suddenly despite there being a strong admission committee in each college, MA Mubin Khan said. “Besides, there is already an opportunity to take action in case of any irregularities in the admission process, whereas action was taken in the past.”
However, the authorities concerned believe that such objections came from BPMCA are not reasonable.
Denying all the allegations, Dr. Mujtahid Mohammad Hossain, director of DGME; said that the automation system has been introduced to ensure transparency in the admission process. Candidates get colleges based on merit, he added.
