Jagannath University admission tests uncertain as teachers decide to boycott them

Uncertainty looms over the Jagannath University (JnU) admission tests as agitating teachers have decided to boycott them only two days before the first exam.

The university is yet to make any formal announcement whether the ‘B’ unit test slated for Friday will be postponed, while the teachers remain firm on their decision.
 
Vice-Chancellor Mizanur Rahman has called an urgent meeting of the Academic Council on Thursday to resolve the matter before the tests begin.
 
The uncertainty over the honours entrance exams had developed after the public university teachers started their movement against the recently announced eighth pay scale, which failed to meet their demands.
 
The Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers' Association (FBUTA) leaders met Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid on Tuesday, but that meeting failed to resolve the impasse.
 
The Jagannath University Teachers Association (JnUTA) on Wednesday announced that they would boycott the admission tests.
 
Apart from this Friday’s ‘B’ unit test, the exam of ‘C’ unit was scheduled for Oct 16, ‘A’ unit for Oct 30, ‘D’ unit Nov 6 and ‘E’ unit entry test was slated for Nov 13.
 
After the VC urged them to take the test on Friday, the teachers held another meeting on Wednesday. But their decision did not change.
 
JnUTA President Prof Ali Noor told bdnews24.com: “We’ve no other decisions to make. We will boycott Friday’s admission test.”
 
Asked whether the exam for ‘B’ unit would be held, he said, “Only the administration can say that.”

However, the platform of teachers at Bangladesh’s public universities, FBUTA, has not yet announced to boycott the admission tests at all universities.
 
The teachers have been continuing their movement for the past few months demanding revision of the new national pay scale and a separate pay structure.
 
On Tuesday, they also threatened to abstain from work for an indefinite period starting from Nov 1 if the government did not meet their demands.
 
JnUTA chief Prof Noor said the decision to boycott the university’s entry tests was ‘their own’.
 
VC Mizanur Rahman was, however, adamant about holding the tests despite the decision of the teachers. “Friday’s (admission) test will take place. It has not been postponed.”
 
“I’ve called an urgent meeting of the Academic Council at 10am tomorrow (Thursday) to discuss the situation,” he told bdnews24.com.
 
Altogether 40,634 students are set to sit the test for 720 seats in the ‘B’ unit.
 
According to the Jagannath University data, as many as 185,079 aspirants have registered to sit the honours admission exams in all units for 2015-16 sessions.​