Most GPA-5 holders fail to meet minimum marks in DU admission tests
In the 2025-26 academic session, only 28% of candidates with GPA-5 in both SSC and HSC passed the admission tests across three units of the university. This means that around 72% of such students failed to secure even the minimum qualifying marks.
A majority of students who achieved GPA-5 in both Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations have failed to obtain the minimum pass marks in Dhaka University's undergraduate admission tests, according to university data.
In the 2025-26 academic session, only 28% of candidates with GPA-5 in both SSC and HSC passed the admission tests across three units of the university. This means that around 72% of such students failed to secure even the minimum qualifying marks.
Data from the university's Central Admission Office show that this trend has continued over the past three years.
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According to the data, a total of 46,861 candidates with dual GPA-5 sat for the admission tests this year across the Science, Business Studies, and Arts, Law and Social Sciences units.
Of them, 12,913 passed, while 72.44% failed to meet the minimum requirement.
In the 2024-25 academic session, 98,159 candidates with GPA-5 in both SSC and HSC took part in the admission tests. Among them, 16,538 passed, indicating a pass rate of about 16%. In the 2023-24 session, the pass rate among such candidates was around 30%.
The university's admission system is based on a total of 100 marks, including 60 marks for Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) and 40 marks for the written section. Candidates must secure at least 24 marks in the MCQ section to qualify.
Only those who pass this stage have their written scripts evaluated, based on the number of available seats. Separate pass marks apply depending on the unit and subject.
Unit-wise performance
In the Business Studies unit this year, 4,542 candidates with dual GPA-5 took part in the admission test, of whom 1,621 passed, resulting in a pass rate of 35.7%.
In the Science unit, 25,345 such candidates sat for the test, and 6,916 passed.
In the Arts, Law and Social Sciences unit, 16,974 candidates with GPA-5 participated, with 4,376 passing, indicating a pass rate of about 25%.
Concerns over assessment
Analysts say the results indicate weaknesses in learning and assessment at the school and college levels.
They suggest that students are entering university admission tests with gaps in their understanding. The use of a condensed syllabus during the post-Covid period has also been cited as a possible factor.
Dr Mohammad Moninur Rashid, professor at the Institute of Education and Research at Dhaka University, said, "We have turned GPA-5 into a kind of 'craze'; it has become worthless. The inability of GPA-5 students to obtain minimum pass marks in the admission test shows that our assessments in SSC and HSC are not being done correctly. At the same time, there remains a significant deficit in our students' learning."
He added, "The country's education system is in a state of crisis. To overcome this situation, an education commission must be formed with all relevant stakeholders to reach a long-term solution."
