Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Hard time ahead for admission seekers

Public universities can accommodate only half of successful HSC candidates 
Over half of the students who came out successful in this year’s HSC and equivalent examinations will be denied enrolment at the public universities due to shortage of seats.
According to the latest annual report of the University Grants Commission, 229,491 students this year will get the opportunity to enrol at 31 public universities for honours courses.
Besides, 2,712 seats are available at 18 public medical colleges, 300 in three public dental colleges, 3,350 in 45 private medical colleges and 680 in 12 private dental colleges, say sources in the Directorate General of Health Services.
The rest of the successful HSC examinees will have to go to private universities, or study honours or degree (pass) courses at government and non-government colleges and vocational institutions, say education ministry officials.
However, all these candidates will have to vie for university seats also with a large number of successful examinees of last year’s HSC exams.
With the pass rate increasing every year, higher education is becoming a matter of great concern for the nation as seats are not relatively increasing.
As many as 574,261 students or record 75.01 percent have come out successfully in this year’s Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations under 10 education boards — eight general, one madrasa and one technical board.
The results were published on Wednesday.
Of the successful students, 39,769 achieved the highest GPA-5 (Grade Point Average) and 163,240 did well scoring between GPA-4 and GPA-5.
The numbers of successful students and GPA-5 scorers have increased sharply this year.
The students willing to study at the top public universities including Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet), Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University, Rajshahi University, Chittagong University and public medical and dental colleges will have to go through a really tough competition.
In Dhaka University last year, 25 to 30 students vied for each of the over 5,000 seats, said acting registrar Syed Rezaur Rahman. In Buet, around 5,500 students vied for one of the university’s 965 seats last year, said Pro-vice-chancellor Prof M Habibur Rahman.
Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid said the government is aware of the shortage of seats at the public universities and is considering launch of new universities to meet the increasing demand.
“Three new universities — Barisal University, Gopalganj Bangabandhu Science and Technology University, and Textiles University — will start academic activities this year and the HSC passed students will be able to apply for enrolment,” said Nahid.
The minister said it is fact that a section of students will get the opportunity to enrol at the top public universities and medical colleges through competitive examinations. Others can go to the government colleges as there are a large number of seats there, he added.
An official of the National University said around two lakh students will be able to study the honours courses in nearly 250 colleges under the university in next session.
Around five to ten percent seats have been increased this year in those 250 colleges to meet the demand, said Faizul Karim, acting director of the NU public relations office.
Immediate past chairman of the University Grants Commission Prof Nazrul Islam of Dhaka University said established public universities should increase seats to meet the present demand.
Prof Nazrul sees two types of crisis ahead of the candidates — shortage of seats and lack of standard education in several institutions.
Currently, 54 private universities are running academic activities in the country. However, a few of these provide quality education, while several government-run university colleges cannot maintain the standard due to different crises including lack of teachers and infrastructural facilities, Prof Nazrul observed.

-With The Daily Star input

Related News

Poor pay, allowances of teachers affect education

World Teacher’s Day today Shahin Akhter Poor pay-scale and allowances and low social status mark the poor condition of the teachers in Bangladesh affecting the education sector, observed educationists and researchers. They also said that the Bangladeshi teachers were lagging much behind their fellows even in the neighbouring countries in terms of these facilities and ... Read more

Protecting hilsa: 22-day fishing ban begins

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The government has put a 22-day halt on catching, transporting, storing, selling, and marketing hilsa throughout the country. This measure aims to protect the fish during its crucial breeding season. The ban started at midnight yesterday and will last until October 25, as stated in a notification from the Ministry of ... Read more

Road fatalities: 446 crashes, 417 lives lost in September

News Desk : dhakamirror.com In September, a tragic report from the Road Safety Foundation revealed that at least 417 people lost their lives and 682 were injured in 446 road accidents throughout Bangladesh. Among those who died, there were 63 women and 47 children, as highlighted in the foundation’s monthly report released today. In 151 ... Read more

Man’s fatal fall into Ramna Park lake

News Desk : dhakamirror.com A tragic incident occurred yesterday at Ramna Park in the capital, where a man drowned in the lake. The victim has been identified as 55-year-old Wasimul Haq. The police were able to identify him using fingerprint records. According to Ramna police SI Mizanur Rahman, he was discovered unconscious around 6:00 PM ... Read more

Tariff Commission’s size-based hilsa pricing strategy

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission (BTTC), also known as the Tariff Commission, has suggested setting a maximum retail price for hilsa based on its size. This recommendation comes in response to the unusual spike in prices seen in the local market. On Sunday, the Tariff Commission released a report detailing ... Read more

Ekushey Book Fair won’t happen in December

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The Bangla Academy announced yesterday (28 September), that the previously scheduled dates for the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 have been postponed. In a press release, they explained that this decision was made following a directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs on September 21, which indicated that the fair should ... Read more

Working in Bangladesh is quite challenging: CEC

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The Election Commission is grappling with a mix of challenges, both seen and unseen, as it gears up for the upcoming elections and responds to various demands, shared chief election commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on Saturday. “These hurdles might not be apparent from the outside, but we’re constantly navigating through them,” ... Read more

Travel ban on Keokradong hill to be lifted starting from 1 October

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Great news for travelers! Keokradong hill in Bandarban’s Ruma upazila is set to welcome tourists again starting October 1. The district administration has finally lifted the travel ban that had been in effect for almost three years. Bandarban Deputy Commissioner (DC) Shamim Ara Rini announced the decision today (27 September) during ... Read more

Tree planting campaign to lower pollution, make city more attractive

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Administrator Md Shahjahan Mia has inaugurated a tree plantation and greening programme covering 33 road medians, spanning a total length of 31 kilometres, within the corporation’s jurisdiction. Under the “Zero Soil” programme, ornamental flowering trees and grasses will be planted across 28 DSCC medians, while the ... Read more

Krishi Bank ranks third in remittance collection

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Krishi Bank has shown remarkable success in collecting remittances from expatriates during the first eight months of 2025 (January–August). Known as bank for farmers due to its agricultural loan services, this state-owned institution has climbed to the third position in remittance collection from abroad in that timeframe. This notable achievement has ... Read more

North Bay low : Rain forecast for Bangladesh

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Many parts of the country is expected to witness moderate to heavy and very heavy rainfall in the coming days due to the formation of a low-pressure system over the north Bay and adjoining coastal areas, the Met office said in its latest forecast. According to Bangladesh Meteorological Department’s 120-hour weather ... Read more

Metrorail boosts service: Extended hours & more frequent arrivals

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Dhaka metrorail service is set to start operating earlier in the morning and later at night to better serve the growing number of passengers. Service hours will be extended by 30 minutes at both the beginning and end of the day, and the interval between trains will be reduced by nearly ... Read more

22% minors in Bangladesh’s sex trade

News Desk : dhakamirror.com At least 22 percent of victims of commercial sexual exploitation (abuse of a person, or a minor, through sexual activities in exchange for money, goods, or other benefits) in Bangladesh are children, said speakers at an event yesterday. They shared the information at the launch of “Project Shurakkha”, an initiative of ... Read more

WB Reports Bangladesh Heat Costs at $1.78 Billion in 2024

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Rising temperatures in Bangladesh are fueling a surge in heat-related illnesses, leading to the loss of 250 million workdays in 2024 and economic losses estimated at $1.33–1.78 billion, representing about 0.3 to 0.4 percent of Bangladesh’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2024, according to a new World Bank report. The report ... Read more

Police clearance no longer required for passports

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus announced that police verification will no longer be necessary for obtaining a passport, thereby reducing unnecessary hassle for citizens. “Getting a passport is a basic right. We have established a rule that eliminates the need for police verification,” he stated. While speaking at the opening session ... Read more

Metro rail achieves record 4 lakh daily passengers

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Metro Rail has achieved a remarkable milestone by carrying over 400,000 passengers in a single day. The Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), which operates the Metro Rail, announced this achievement on their official Facebook page on Friday night. For the first time, Metro Rail recorded 403,164 passengers. The Metro Rail ... Read more

Most people, about 66% think civil servants behave as if they are rulers

News Desk : dhakamirror.com More than 100,000 participants have contributed their responses to reform commission’s online survey 80% of the respondents believe that the administration is not approachable for the general public, according to a survey conducted by the Public Administration Reform Commission. Additionally, 66% of participants feel that civil servants act as if they ... Read more

Former Justice Abdur Rouf dies

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Former Chief Election Commissioner Justice Md Abdur Rouf has passed away at the age of 91. He died around 10:00 am while receiving treatment at Insaf Barakah Kidney and General Hospital in Dhaka, as stated in a press release. Justice Rouf had been battling heart disease, lung complications, kidney issues, and ... Read more

Bangladesh climbed 4 positions to rank 93rd in global passport index

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh has climbed four notches up in the latest Henley Passport Index 2025, ranking 93rd out of 99. However, the number of visa-free destinations for Bangladeshi passport holders has dropped from 42 in 2024 to 39 this year, reflecting a decline in global travel privileges. Despite this improvement in rank — ... Read more

BBS Findings show Madaripur most poverty-stricken district, Noakhali least

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Madaripur has the highest poverty rate in the country, with 54.4% of its population living below the upper poverty line. The district’s upazilas are also significantly affected by poverty, with Dasar upazila reporting a poverty rate of 63.2%, as per a survey conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS). BBS ... Read more