College admission applications to be online-only this year

The government is set to introduce a fully online application system for enrollment into higher secondary colleges and madrasas.

Until last year, students seeking enrollment in 11th-grade were able to apply for admission into colleges online and through SMS.

"We will no longer keep SMS-based system for application seekers. There will be only online-based application," Inter-Education Board Coordination sub-committee chief Prof Ziaul Haque said yesterday.

He said that the coordination committee has finalised admission policy for 11th-grade in colleges and madrasas. Education Minister Dipu Moni presided over a meeting on the draft policy on Thursday.

The new policy will see admission confirmation fees rise to Tk 135 from Tk 130, said Ziaul, also chairman of Dhaka education board.

The board proposed to introduce an online application system for admission, in a bid to cut down costs and complications relating to the SMS system, he said.

Students can apply to a maximum of 10 colleges or madrasas, with a fee of Tk 150, said officials. The application process will run from May 10-20 in the first phase. They will be scrutinised between May 27-31 and the result of first phase of application will be published on June 8.

The second round of applications will be taken from June 17-20, and its outcome will be published on June 20.

The third phase will run between June 23 and 25, the results of which will be out on Jun 25.

SSC and equivalent exams will be completed by March 12 this year, with more than 2 million students taking part.