Students protest demand for easing admission criteria

Jahangirnagar University (JU) students yesterday protested the demonstration staged by university staff demanding reduction in admission criteria for admitting their wards under the ward quota. 

Finding the university library closed in the morning, the students brought out a protest procession on the campus. As a part of its demonstration, JU Employees Association observed work abstention and did not open most of the administrative and academic buildings yesterday.

However, after Vice Chancellor Prof Farzana Islam assured the students of looking into the matter, they dispersed.

Moreover, the staff resumed working when the university authorities gave assurance of making a decision in this regard by August 31.

A demonstrating student, Nur Md Jabed of economics department, said, “They [staff] already enjoy so many facilities, and now they want to change the rules so that their children who have poor results can get in.”

Prof Rayhan Rhyne of philosophy department said reducing the admission criteria will ultimately hamper the education quality in the university.

According to JU admission procedure, 2014-15 academic session, applicant should have GPA-4 out of 5 in their HSC examinations to qualify for the admission test. Moreover, some subjects require the admission seekers to have GPA-4 in Bangla and English. The university employees have been demonstrating since Tuesday demanding the authorities change the rules, so that admission seekers with GPA-3 can qualify to take the admission test.