Admission delayed or denied?

Admission delayed or denied?

Special Desk :    |    ০৩:২০ পিএম, ২০২১-০৮-১৬

As the world's higher education landscape continues to be disrupted by the pandemic, the second wave is particularly ferocious. The same is true for Bangladesh.

Furthermore, Covid-19 exacerbates uncertainty for more than one million students preparing to take admission tests to get into colleges and universities, with most of them deferred for fear of spreading the virus.

In the event that they do not get a seat in their preferred university, these candidates are scrambling to figure out what else they can do.

It is the third time this academic year that Dhaka University, which offers the most sought-after undergraduate courses in the country, has deferred its admission test for all undergraduate courses.

The three public technical universities (CUET-RUET-KUET) as well as Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Chittagong University, Jahangirnagar University, and Rajshahi University have also put on hold the admission tests.

There has been a session jam at a number of the 49 public universities in Bangladesh since the pandemic broke out, rather than just the admissions tests.

According to official numbers, 13,67,377 students completed the Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSC) or its equivalent by the end of 2020. After completing six months of university education, these graduates then became eligible to pursue jobs and careers after they complete the HSC or its equivalent.

UNB has learned that uncertainty over university admissions has had a negative effect on many students' mental health and has made some more vulnerable to drug use.

Most of the lives of rural Bangladeshi women students have been lost during the pandemic, with parents losing everything they have saved. In the past year, many such parents lost their daughters to early marriages that shattered their dreams of higher education.

"I dreamed of completing my graduation. One such sufferer, Saifa Nasrin, spoke to UNB over the phone from rural Bangladesh about how the academic session jam and the pandemic affected her life forever.

"My husband has told me he doesn't support my higher education," Saifa's parents explained to her last month. "I do not support her studies."

The admissions tests for undergraduate programs at 30 of the 49 public universities should be conducted.

A cluster admission test system has been implemented by some 20 of these universities, except for the top five. Seven agriculture and three technical universities will also follow the same cluster admission test.

In addition to the National University, Bangladesh has 107 private universities and about 2,254 colleges affiliated with them.

Furthermore, these 20 public universities -- excluding Dhaka University, BUET, Rajshahi University, Jahangirnagar University, and Chittagong University -- received a total of 3,81,406 applications for the 2020-21 Undergraduate Admission Test.

Dhaka University alone received nearly 3.20  lakh applications for admissions to five UG courses. Many of these students are likely to apply to other universities too.

On the other hand, several students have already been admitted to private universities.

Also, lakhs of students will be admitted to the different colleges affiliated with National University. The admission process in these colleges started on 28th July, and online classes are scheduled to begin from September 15, according to authorities.

Costly Affair

The university admission process is a costly affair in Bangladesh. Apart from the usual application fees, students shell out some Tk 10,000-20,000 on an average on books and for taking tuitions from coaching centers to crack the admission tests.

Dhaka University charged a fee of Tk450 for each unit from the admission seekers this academic year, while Rajshahi and Jahangirnagar universities received Tk 55 as the primary application fee and Tk 1,100 for the final application. Other varsities also charged a similar amount of money.

Rajshahi University admission aspirant Mahbub Hossain said, “I am not from a well-to-do family. I had to borrow some money to bear the application cost. I have been preparing for the admission test for some time now. But now, I have lost all hope."

These days, Mahbub whiles away his time by playing online games on his cell phone. "Why are they delaying the admission tests? The lockdown curbs have been eased in Bangladesh, but why is the government not taking a call on the future of the students?"

Afiatul Fariha, another admission seeker, told UNB, “I convinced my father to give me Tk 20,000 for application fees, private tuition charges, and buying books. He agreed to spend the money on my education, but now I have lost all hope."

The Games

Online video game addiction is on the rise, all thanks to the Covid-induced deferred admission tests. Many students have become so immersed in their phones that their studies have gone for a toss.

“I used to read a lot after passing the HSC exam but now, I spend my valuable time chatting with friends or playing online games. The education scenario in the country makes me feel depressed," Shahriar Alom, a student from Cumilla, told UNB.

Saleha Begum, the mother of a university admission seeker, said, “In the pre-Covid times, my daughter was attentive to her studies. Now she is distracted and we are all depressed. I am really worried about her future. Universities should immediately end this admission deadlock."

Dr. Sayed Manzoorul Islam, a retired professor of Dhaka University's English department, agreed. “The pandemic has been a devastating blow to the country’s education sector. The government must devise learning recovery programs soon and reopen institutions to prevent the collapse of the academic system."

When contacted, Dhaka University vice-chancellor Professor Dr. Akhtaruzzaman said, “Universities are forced to postpone the admission test dates because of the worsening Covid-19 situation. We can’t put the lives of thousands of students at risk. The admission tests will be conducted only after there's an improvement in the Covid situation in the country."