Dr Moni came up with the call while addressing a virtual meeting over the university admission system.

The Education Ministry and University Grants Commission (UGC) have been trying to convince the universities to take combined admission test aiming to reduce the hazards of students and guardians.

Most of the universities have already reached a consensus over the matter, she said.

“If we can take combined intake tests, this would be a great gift for our admission seekers marking the Mujib Borsho,” said the Education Minister.

Deputy Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury, University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Prof Kazi Shahidullah, Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman, Jahangirnagar University VC Prof Farzana Islam, Rajshahi University VC Prof Abdus Sobhan, Bangladesh University of Engineering VC Satya Prasad Majumdar, were also present at the meeting.

The university authorities agreed to sit with the UGC to take decisions over the matter after consulting their academic councils.

The initiative to craft a common admission exam for all public universities predates the pandemic.  On January 23, the UGC decided to introduce a uniform entry test in all public universities across the country from the academic year 2020-21, aiming to reduce the plight of the admission-seekers and their guardians.

However, Buet, DU, Chittagong University (CU), RU and JU decided to pass on the opportunity to join the integrated admission system.

On February 10, Dhaka University Central Student Union (Ducsu) suggested the university authorities not to join the combined admission test system.

Also read: Now, UGC proposes cluster admission test