Dhaka: High court on Monday stayed higher secondary admissions for three Dhaka Colleges—Notre Dame College, Saint Joseph College and Holy Cross College—on basis of secondary exam results.

Earlier Education Ministry asked college authorities to enrol Class XI students on the basis of Secondary School Certificate results.

HC also allowed the three colleges to enrol students through entrance test.

A HC bench comprising Justice Naima Haider and Justice Iqbal Kabir Liton issued the stay order for six months after a hearing on a writ petition filed by colleges on Sunday in this connection. Advocate Fida M Kamal was present during the hearing on behalf of the writ petitioners while deputy attorney general Kazi Jinat Haque was the prosecution lawyer.

However, the court wanted to know as to why the notification issued by the ministry will not be considered illegal and asked education secretary, Dhaka board chairman, and HSC board college inspector to reply the writ.

The case statement reads the education ministry on 1 June 2015 issued a notification, which says students will be enrolled to colleges on the basis of secondary exam result.

The notification also says students have to fill in the admission forms online and pay their fees by Teletalk.