Merit admissions leave 1,200 seats vacant: Private medical college owners

About 1,200 seats in 56 private medical colleges nationwide remain vacant for the upcoming academic year due to the newly implemented merit-based automated admission process, the Bangladesh Private Medical College Association (BPMCA) has claimed.

At an event on improving private medical education in Dhaka on Saturday (25 May), the association expressed concern over a significant number of vacant seats in private medical colleges for the academic year 2023-2024, with classes scheduled to begin on 5 June.

BPMCA President MA Mubin Khan said, "There seems to be a deliberate attempt to undermine medical education. While establishing such institutions requires immense efforts, destroying them is far too easy. Under the previous system, students from the private sector could choose their preferred colleges after passing the exams. However, the current automated system restricts their options."

The BPMCA presented data suggesting a lower absentee rate during viva voce examinations for the 2022-2023 academic year compared to 2023-2024. They attribute this to students being unable to secure admission to their preferred colleges under the merit-based system.

State Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr Rokeya Sultana underscored the importance of quality in both education and healthcare facilities.

Member of Parliament AK Abdul Momen, former principal secretary to the prime minister Abdul Karim, and Popular Medical College Chairman Dr Mostafizur Rahman were among the attendees at the event.

However, Directorate General of Medical Education Director General Prof Dr Md Titu Miah refuted the BPMCA's claims in an interview with The Business Standard.

"Automation is a globally accepted practice.  This system was implemented with the involvement of the private medical association. Similar to government medical colleges, student admissions in private institutions are now based on merit and student choice," he said.

Prof Titu Miah further clarified that the decision to prioritise merit in medical education was reached after consultations with various stakeholders, including private medical associations.

"The goal is to ensure that only the most deserving students have the opportunity to study at prestigious private medical colleges. This will ultimately improve the quality of medical education in Bangladesh," he added.

He also noted that the number of foreign students attending Bangladeshi medical colleges has decreased. He attributed this to factors beyond the new admission system and suggested that some may oppose automation due to its potential to restrict admissions for students with lower academic qualifications. ***