The admission process for the first year honours courses in public universities under 2021-2022 academic year has already begun. There are 52 public universities and 108 private universities in the country. Out of 52, a total of 32 public universities this year will enroll students at undergraduate level for 2021-2022 academic years through admission tests under cluster system.
One of the clusters is for general and science and technology universities, another for agricultural universities and the other one for engineering universities. We appreciate the cluster system that will resolve the hassles by helping students in selecting their desired university centrally, completing the migration process by stipulated schedule.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) at meeting with the Vice-Chancellors held on April 6 had asked the university authorities to make the admission test fees proportionately ‘reasonable’. Besides, it was also decided in the meeting that if the fee was reduced, it would not be necessary to pay 40 percent of the income in the budget of the university in the same way as before.
University authorities must be transparent and
accountable and they will have to reduce the
application fee for entry test
The eight other universities beyond the cluster system have been asked to reduce the entry test fees. But country’s prestigious universities like Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University and Chittagong University have already increased the application fees.
The Dhaka University authorities raised the application fees for admission test by another Tk 350 to Tk 1,000 in the upcoming academic session. Besides, four other universities are also mulling to increase the application fees.
The admission seekers will have to pay increased admission test fees this time. University authorities should not raise test fees without any valid reason. They should pay heed to the UGC’s request to reduce admission test fees.
As per rules, 40 percent of the proceeds from selling admission forms has to be deposited in the university fund. The remaining 60 percent of the money has to be used to meet the overall expenses including examinations, preparation of question papers, moderation, printing, transportation, hospitalisation and law and order. But the UGC and Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) think that there is an intention of making profit with the students’ fees.
It may be mentioned that the UGC and the ACC are currently investigating into allegations that the money collected from the candidates during admissions to Jahangirnagar University for the academic year 2019-20 was shared among teachers and officials. Therefore, the university authorities must be transparent and accountable and they will have to reduce the application fee for entry test.
