DU cuts freshers' admission hassles

The admission process for the first-year undergraduate students at the University of Dhaka (DU) has become significantly smoother this year, reducing long-standing hassles faced by freshers.
Previously the system was marked by multiple campus visits, complex departmental procedures, and long queues at banks. But, now it has been simplified through partial automation - led by the university administration and the central admission office.
In earlier years, after final subject allocation, students had to pay the central admission fee online and then physically visit their respective departments or institutes with printed forms and payment receipts.
They were required to collect separate payment slips for departmental fees, deposit those at designated banks, such as - Janata, Sonali, or Agrani, and return to departments or institutes for submission and obtaining signatures from chairpersons or directors.
However, this year, students can pay not only the central admission fee but also departmental and hall fees online once their subject allocation is finalised. After payment, they only need to print the receipts and submit them to the respective departments or institutes for verification and signatures. The same process also applies to hall-related procedures.
Students said this change has significantly reduced the need for repeated bank visits and long waiting times.
Professor Dr. Md. Mostafizur Rahman, a member of the DU central admission committee, said the new system has eased the burden on students.
"Previously, students often had to arrange money after arriving on the campus upon learning the exact payable amount. Now, with online payments, that uncertainty has also been minimised," he noted.
Efforts to digitise the process have been underway for the past three years. Initially, only two departments were brought under the system. Last year, about one-third of the departments joined the process. This year, most of the departments, institutes, and residential halls have been included.
However, seven departments and one institute remain outside the online payment framework. These are - Mathematics; Soil, Water and Environment; Law; Persian Language and Literature; Political Science; Oceanography; Theatre and Performance Studies; and Institute of Business Administration (IBA). Students in these departments still have to deposit fees physically at banks, continuing the inconvenience.
Professor Mostafizur Rahman said attempts were made to bring them under the system, but their lack of cooperation has hindered the progress.
Students also reported ongoing difficulties in obtaining signatures from departmental chairmen and hall provosts. Regarding this issue, the DU central admission committee noted that proposal to arrange a one-day centralized signing system was suggested, but it has not been implemented yet.
Professor Dr. Saima Haque Bidisha, DU Pro-VC (Admin), said the university is committed to gradually bringing all student services under automation.
"For a long time, students had to waste time standing in bank queues. Recognising this issue, we initiated the digital transformation of the admission process last year. This year, we have been able to implement it across most of the departments, institutes, and halls."
She added that beyond admission, some other services such as transcript, mark-sheet, and certificate applications have also been digitized with online payment systems. While some areas still require improvement, the administration aims to build a fully-integrated and student-friendly service system through continued digitalisation.
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