Dhaka: The government has taken an initiative to introduce a unified test system for admission to all universities, aiming to reduce the hassles of admission seekers and their guardians.

President Abdul Hamid, also the chancellor of all universities, will hold meetings with vice-chancellors (VCs) of both public and private universities to find out ways to hold the unified admission test, Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Prof Abdul Mannan told UNB.

“The honourable President has told me he’ll convene meetings with vice-chancellors to discuss how to hold the unified admission test. The President has already directed the Education Ministry in this regard,” he said.

The President will hold two separate meetings at Banngabhaban -- one with the VCs of public universities and another with those of private ones, said Prof Mannan.

The meetings will be held at a convenient time of the President, Prof Mannan adding that it is likely to be held in December or January next.

On November 2, at a UGC programme, the President suggested holding public university admission tests centrally or regionally. 

“It's our moral duty to create scopes for the students who are interested in pursuing higher studies. Like previous years, the admission seekers, especially those who want to enroll themselves in science and technology universities, this year had to travel from one city to another for appearing at the admission tests,” he said.

Hamid said admission seekers and their guardians face unimaginable hassles regarding accommodation, food and transport to take part in admission tests in different universities. Even many admission seekers return to their homes after being sick without appearing in the tests. Besides, many guardians cannot afford sending their children to different cities across the country to take part in university admission tests.

Currently, there are 37 public universities in the country which are situated in 19 cities or districts of the country. Of which nine universities are situated in Dhaka, four each in Chittagong and Gazipur, two each in Mymensingh, Khulna and Rajshahi and one each in Gopalganj, Barisal, Rangpur, Comilla, Dinajpur, Kushtia, Jessore, Tangail, Noakhali, Patuakhali and Rangamati.

Now only medical admission test for both public and private colleges is held centrally.