National University: Why Bangladesh's largest affiliated university fails to produce employable graduates

Illustration: TBS

It was in 2021 when Maruf Ahmed completed his Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examination from a college in Sirajganj district. For many students like him, getting into a public university is the ultimate dream — a ticket to better opportunities and a dignified life. 

But when Maruf failed to secure a place through the fiercely competitive admission tests, he had no choice but to enrol to study Mathematics at Sirajganj Government College, affiliated with the National University.

Three years later, he still feels lost. 

"Sometimes it feels like I'm not even a university student," he says. "My friends at public and private universities do assignments, quizzes and presentations every month. I've never done any of those. Classes are often cancelled because teachers or students don't show up. Out of 80 students, around 20-25 attend regularly in my department."

For Maruf, the future feels uncertain. "There are no practical classes, no modern classrooms," he says. "It feels like I'm still in school. If I don't get a government job, I doubt any private company will hire me." 

His story mirrors that of millions of students studying under the National University — a vast institution that holds the fate of Bangladesh's higher education system in its hands.

Established in 1992 to make higher education more accessible, the university was built on an idea — to take university education beyond Dhaka and other big cities. 

Today, it is one of the largest affiliated universities not only in Bangladesh but in the world, with 3.5 million students, around 100,000 teachers, and around 2,500 affiliated colleges according to a study titled 'Bangladesh's NU: A strategy for quality education' published by The International Journal for Outcome Management Research and Practice in 2024. Nearly 70% of all tertiary students in the country study under its umbrella. 

On paper, it is an academic giant. In reality, it struggles to deliver even the basics of quality education. Many of its colleges still rely on outdated syllabuses and teaching methods that have barely evolved since the 1990s. 

Modern subjects like data analytics, engineering, artificial intelligence, digital marketing, media studies, communication studies or cyber security which are vital in today's job market are absent.

While other major South Asian universities manage dozens of affiliated colleges, National University supervises thousands. 

The University of Delhi, for instance, has 66 affiliated institutions; the University of Calcutta has 160. Bangladesh's National University, in comparison, has more than 2,000 — a scale so large that effective monitoring has become nearly impossible.

The study reveals that the student–teacher ratio at the bachelor's level averages 42:1, and at the master's level, a staggering 106:1. Many colleges face an acute shortage of qualified teachers and relevant textbooks. In some departments, lecturers handle several courses at once, leaving little time for preparation or meaningful engagement with students.

Classrooms, libraries and laboratories remain in poor condition. Broken chairs, dim lighting and lack of internet access are common. Some colleges do not even have enough exam halls, forcing authorities to cancel classes for weeks during examination periods. In this environment, the concept of university life — with its energy, discussion and curiosity — feels like a distant dream.

"Last month, our exams were postponed for two weeks because the college didn't have enough halls. We just sit around, hoping something will happen, but most of the time, nothing does," said a third-year student of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman College in Pirojpur. 

"Although I came here with little hope to experience university life — discussions, debates, presentations, learning from experts — however the situation feels worse. It's like we are stuck in a cycle of waiting, with a degree that promises everything but teaches very little."

Employers often complain that National University graduates lack both technical and soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. I experienced this firsthand during interviews after graduation, failing one after another.

Sakib Al Shohag, graduate, Tejgaon College

The study also found a key weakness of the National University system lies in its outdated curriculum and weak assessment methods. Exams often recycle questions from previous years, rewarding memorisation rather than understanding. 

"You can almost guess what will appear in the exam if you look at guidebooks sold in the market," said a teacher, requesting anonymity, from Bhawal Badre Alam Government College (BBAGC) in Gazipur. 

This rote-learning culture leaves students ill-prepared for real-world challenges. 

According to a survey by the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) from 2021, 66% of National University graduates are unemployed — one of the highest rates among all higher education streams in Bangladesh. 

Even among those who find jobs, most end up in low-paying teaching positions in schools or colleges. Moreover, around 38% of graduates work in the education sector, while very few enter technical, administrative or corporate fields.

Behind this student crisis lies another group in distress — the teachers. Many are overworked, underpaid and deprived of professional training. 

"We are treated more like clerks than academics nowadays," said the teacher from BBAGC. "There's no scope for research, no digital library, and no incentive for innovation. Most of us just teach the same content year after year." 

The National University's administrative system is also heavily centralised. From exam schedules to curriculum updates, all decisions flow from the Gazipur headquarters — often delayed due to bureaucratic bottlenecks. 

In a world rapidly embracing the Fourth Industrial Revolution, National University remains alarmingly disconnected. 

Most affiliated colleges lack Wi-Fi facilities. Students and teachers do not have institutional email accounts or access to digital platforms. A few years ago, National University signed an agreement with Google to provide official email IDs to students — a positive step, but far from enough. Without reliable internet, computer labs or online learning platforms, these digital tools offered little practical value. 

"Employers often complain that National University graduates lack both technical and soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. I experienced this firsthand during interviews after graduation, failing one after another," said Sakib Al Shohag, who graduated from Tejgaon College in 2023. 

"My college was far better than many outside Dhaka, although the cost was much higher. Still, I felt undervalued in the job market. I even did part-time jobs during my undergraduate studies — in event management and as a sales manager at a brand shop — to gain practical skills. But despite that experience, the jobs I was offered were very low-paying and did not match my efforts."

This growing skills gap has serious national consequences. Every year, Bangladesh produces hundreds of thousands of graduates, yet the job market struggles to absorb them. The frustration among unemployed youth not only affects individual lives but also undermines social stability and economic growth.

The National University has acknowledged some of these challenges and taken small steps toward reform. Efforts have been made to modernise the syllabus and introduce ICT-based education. However, without large-scale structural change and strong political commitment, these initiatives are unlikely to make a lasting impact. 

Many argue that National University needs a complete overhaul of its governance and academic systems. This includes decentralising authority to regional campuses, introducing skill-based courses, investing in teacher training, and building modern classrooms and digital infrastructure. A long-term academic master plan that aligns education with industry needs could help bridge the gap between learning and employment. 

Back in Sirajganj, Maruf waits for his next class, unsure if it will even take place. He still studies hard, hoping for a better future, but his voice carries a quiet despair. 

"I don't blame my teachers," he said. "They try their best with what they have. But sometimes I feel like we've all been forgotten."

Md Khalilur Rahman, an associate professor at the National University's main campus, gave a glimpse into the enormous challenge of running the country's largest university. 

"Our Vice Chancellor often says National University is like a map — wherever you go in Bangladesh, you'll find one of its affiliated colleges," he explained. "Managing all of them is incredibly difficult. We're trying to improve things — introducing quizzes, assignments, and presentation-based assessments at the main campus and a few other colleges. But a village college doesn't have the same resources as one in a town. Making these changes work everywhere is almost impossible."

He went on to describe the complexities of exams at National University. "We conduct over 100 exams every year. Every question paper is prepared centrally and sent across the country before results are even published. Moving to a semester system would mean even more assessments. In most universities, the teachers who teach also set and grade the exams. 

"At National University, it's completely different — students sit for papers written by teachers they've never met, and the teachers rarely know what's being tested. It feels like teaching and evaluation exist in two separate worlds," he added.