Admission war toughens as univs to enrol only 6.0pc

An increased success rate in the higher secondary school certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations has widened further the gap between the existing number of seats and admission seekers, thus creating a big challenge for students vying for higher study.  
Only six per cent of the total students, who have come out successful in HSC and equivalent examinations, will have the opportunity to get admission to 35 public universities this session whereas last year it was around seven per cent, according to sources.
Among the public universities, some 44 students will have to fight against one seat at the Dhaka University alone as 302,489 students applied for the 6,800 seats at the country's premier university.
According to the central admission office of the university, in 2016-17 session against the 1680 seats of Ka (A) Unit, 91932 candidates are going to compete, for 2241 seats of Kha (B) Unit, 35066 candidates, for 1,170 seats of Ga (C) Unit 43064 candidates, for 1440 seats of Gha (D) Unit 115,808 candidates and for135 seats of Cha Unit some 16,619 candidates are going to vie.
The admission test of the university will start on September 23 witj the exam of Kha (B) Unit.
Ferdous Zaman, Additional Director of UGC told the FE that in 2016-17 session there are around 525,607 seats in all of the 37 public universities of the country including 444,200 in National University (NU) and 34,000 in Open University. But except NU and Open University there are only around 48,800 seats in other public universities.
"However, around 4,500 more seats have been created in all of the public universities as the University Grants Commission (UGC) approved 38 new departments," said Ferdous Zaman.
She said 94 private universities of the country also increased around 25,000 seats to ensure sufficient seats for the growing number of students in the tertiary level.
Official figure of the UGC shows that for 2016-17 session there are a total  of 861,657 seats in all of the public and private universities, medical, dental and textile colleges, marine academies and two international universities.
There are about 525,607 seats in 37 public universities, 325,000 in 94 private universities, 3,000 in 22 government medical colleges, 4,500 in 53 private medical colleges, 600 in 15 dental colleges, 600 in five textile colleges, 1,800 in 18 marine academies and 600 in two international universities.
The universities have a shortage of around 37,500 seats as 899,150 students passed the HSC and equivalent examinations this year. Besides, as government and private colleges under the national universities alone offer about 50 per cent seats, students have to face intense competition due to seat crisis in other general universities.
Chairman of the UGC Professor Abdul Mannan told the FE that the problems of seat crisis actually prevail in public universities.
"But our national and private institutions offer maximum seats and for which the overall seat crisis is not significant. Besides, as some students get admitted to other technical institutions or diploma courses and some other also go abroad, I think all of the students anyhow can manage seats for higher study," he added.
"We have already increased some seats in public universities and also trying to increase further especially in technical departments, by raising the capacity of the universities," he added.
He said it is the time to focus on technical education. Five to six years ago about two per cent students could avail the technical education but now it has increased to 14 per cent and it is gradually increasing.
"Probably the number of seats will be increased in the coming years as we are trying to establish more technically specialised institutions," he said.
"The country still lacks a substantial number of technically skilled human resources and to ensure more inflow of foreign remittance we need to extensively focus on it to create more technical experts," Mr. Mannan added.
Vice-Chancellor of Noakhali Science and Technology University (NSTU) and professor of Institute of Education and Research of Dhaka University Prof. Dr. M Wahiduzzaman told the FE that approving new private universities and increasing the number of seats in those universities with a view to solving seat crisis is not the solution.
"I think instead of approving private universities the capacity of existing public universities should be increased to offer quality education to the growing number of students," Mr Wahiduzzaman added.
He also said in tertiary level substantive focus also must be given on increasing the opportunities for technical education as at home and abroad there is a big demand for the graduates having technical background.
"So I think, number of seats should be increased specially in technical departments," he added.
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