VCs agree to cluster admission tests

Highlights: 

• Three 100-mark examinations will be held. 
• No additional test will be taken for the students intending to change tracks in graduation level.
• The examinations will be taken in three days once the coronavirus situation improves.
• The tests will be held at all universities at the same time 
• The students will enjoy the facility to choose a convenient exam centerThe student must have minimum GPA-6 collectively in SSC and HSC for admission into departments under humanities stream.
• Students seeking admission in commerce faculty departments must have GPA-6.5 collectively in HSC and SSC.  
• For science stream, the admission seekers must have minimum GPA-7 collectively in HSC and SSC.

The vice-chancellors (VCs) of 19 public universities have reached a consensus on how the varsities will hold a uniform admission test under the cluster system. 

However, the date for taking the admission test has not been declared yet.

There will be three examinations for science, humanities and commerce students based on the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) syllabus.

All 19 universities will be used as venues for the admission tests.

Professor Mijanur Rahman, vice chancellor of Jagannath University and joint convener of cluster based admission test scheme, told The Business Standard that the admission seekers who will pass HSC and its equivalent examinations this year and passed those in 2019 will be eligible for admission test. 

He said the decisions were taken at a meeting of the vice chancellors of the 19 public universities on Saturday. 

As per the decision, three 100-mark examinations will be held. No additional test will be taken for the students intended to change tracks in graduation level.

"The examinations will be taken in three days once the coronavirus situation improves," said Professor Mijanur. 

The tests will be held at all universities at the same time under the scheme and the students will enjoy the facility to choose a convenient exam center. 

In this system, the students seeking admission in any of the 19 universities will sit in a single examination and be recommended for a department based on a combination of his, her qualification and desire. 
 
Through the exams, students will be able to get admission into streams of subjects different than the one they studied in higher secondary level without attending any additional examination.

For the departments under humanities stream, the student must have minimum GPA-6 collectively in SSC and HSC. Besides, students with GPA less than 3 in either SSC or HSC will not be allowed in the examinations.

To participate in examinations for subjects under commerce stream, the aspirant must have GPA-6.5 collectively in HSC and SSC examinations.  
 
In the subjects under science stream, the aspirants with a minimum collective GPA-7 will be eligible to sit in the examinations.

At a meeting at the University Grants Commission (UGC) on 1 December, vice chancellors of the 19 universities took decision to hold admission tests under the cluster system. 

The universities are - Islamic University, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Khulna University, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Noakhali University of Science and Technology, Jagannath University. Cumilla University, Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University, Jashore University of Science and Technology, Begum Rokeya University, Pabna University of Science and Technology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman University of Science and Technology, Barishal University, Rangamati University of Science and Technology, Rabindra University, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Digital University, Sheikh Hasina University, and Bangamata Sheikh Fojilatunnesa Mujib Science and Technology University.

However, Dhaka University, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet), Rajshahi University, Jahangirnagar University and Chittagong University will hold their admission tests separately. 

The University Grants Commission on 23 January this year announced that it will take decision to hold a uniform admission test for the 2020-2021 academic year.

In February, the UGC had decided that the public universities will hold the admission test following a cluster system.