Dhaka University to hold admission tests in divisional cities in pandemic

Dhaka University will hold admission tests in divisional cities and decided to alter the qualifying scores amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The university will set up exam centres in each divisional city to enrol first-year honours students, Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof ASM Maksud Kamal said after a meeting of the Deans Committee on Tuesday.

“We will take the help of big institutions in the divisional cities outside Dhaka to hold the tests following the health rules,” he said.

The schedule for admission tests hinges on the publication of HSC results, the pro-VC said.

The education ministry has scrapped the HSC tests this year. The students will be evaluated on the basis of their performances in the JSC and SSC exams on average.

The university will be able to hold the tests in January if the HSC results are published in December, according to Prof Kamal.

The deans of the five faculties have been asked to prepare for holding the tests, he said.  

The university has also decided to halve the total marks to 100 this time: 20 marks based on the results of the SSC and HSC exams, 30 multiple choice questions and 50 marks on writing.

In the past years, 80 marks were based on the results of the SSC and HSC exams, and the remaining 120 on tests held at the university and different other educational institutions in the capital. Last year, 75 marks were kept for MCQs and 45 on writing.

Prof Kamal said the university lowered the marks based on the results of the SSC and HSC exams to emphasise their performance in the admission tests.

Prof Sadeka Halim, dean of the social sciences faculty, said they decided to change the qualification scores to ensure admission of the “really meritorious” students.

“Admission tests are surely necessary,” said Vice-Chancellor Md Akhtaruzzaman.

“We are not holding the tests at a single place this year to reduce the students’ sufferings and transport trouble in this [coronavirus] situation. The Deans Committee meetings reviewed the issue,” he told bdnews24.com.