The University Grants Commission (UGC) has expressed concern over the private universities' curriculum as the regulatory body was unaware of the contents of their syllabus.
The commission is also concerned about the existing examination system that measures the students' ability for not having external evaluator of the answer scripts.
"UGC is not informed about the update of the private universities' academic syllabus, although they were asked to be reassessed by the commission regularly," the regulatory body said.
Besides most of the country's private universities still follow vintage evaluation method that was introduced to measure limited number of the students, the UGC added.
It says "Though the commission isn't fully aware of the evaluation method of the private universities, but it has been informed that only the course teacher prepares the question papers and he also evaluates the answer scripts".
Usually, reputed the universities like Dhaka University and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) have external examiners to reevaluate the answer to find out the faults and anomalies, if any.
The annual report also noted majority of the universities don't follow same curriculum even the identical timeframe, causing increased suffering of the students.
"Although the private universities mainly follow four year graduation system, but they are divided into many categories like some follow year system and some follow semester system that bars students to transfer their studied credits to other universities", UGC identified.
The universities regulator urged the government to setup 'accreditation council' for the private universities that was also recommended by the private university act 2010.
"The commission already submitted a draft proposal on the council establishment to the concerned ministry keeping tight monitoring over the affiliating institutions" the body added.
Besides, the commission also frustrated over the size of investment in order to promote innovative and creative research, resulting in poor quality of education.
Investigation by the regulatory body found that of 15 universities, out of total 60 didn't invest any money for research purpose, while the others did very slightly.
Abul Qasem Haider, vice president of the Association of Private Universities of Bangladesh, said unfortunately some unscrupulous private institutions do not bother about the rules and regulations set by the government.
He however blamed the regulatory body for its failure to strongly supervise over its affiliated institutions. "Even, some of these institutions involve with the certificate business", the representative regretted.
The UGC Chairman Prof AK Azad Chowdhury told the FE that they have identified some private universities have been violating the regulators' rules and regulation.
"We also asked the university's Chancellor and President Md Abdul Hamid to take necessary action against the guilty universities", the Chairman added.
