Jagannath University plans to pull out of cluster admission test

As many as 22 universities launched the system in 2020-21 amid the pandemic

Jagannath University has planned to move out of the cluster admission test system as the teachers have demanded separate exams to evaluate candidates.

It voted to conduct a separate admission test in a special academic council meeting on Wednesday.

The university syndicate will take the final decision “soon”, said Professor Kamaluddin Ahmed, treasurer of the institution.

Prof Aynul Islam, president of Jagannath University Teachers' Association, said they demanded separate exams to maintain individuality.

Some other public universities, including Dhaka University, Chattogram University, Rajshahi University and Jahangirnagar University, have not joined the system.

The cluster admission test system was introduced in the academic year 2020-21 to avoid the sufferings of the applicants during the coronavirus pandemic.

A total of 22 universities participated in the common cluster. Jagannath University was leading the cluster system from the beginning, but this time the teachers' association strongly demanded not to be in the group.

Teachers said they want to evaluate the candidates because the students admitted through the cluster system are not as meritorious as expected.