Although 20 are still vacant admission aspirants at Jahangirnagar University (JU) are unable to secure a spot, as the university administration has stopped the admission process ahead of the start of classes for the 2023-24 academic session on October 20, leaving hopeful students frustrated.

According to the JU admissions office, the fifth merit list was published on September 15, yet 20 seats in various faculties remain unfilled. In the ‘A’ unit, male students up to merit position 2158 get admission, leaving six seats vacant. Similarly, female students up to rank 659 were admitted, with six more seats still open.

In the ‘C’ unit's science division, female students up to rank 199 have been admitted, but two seats are yet to be filled.

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One of the hopefuls, Ummey Hani, ranked 202nd in the merit list, is waiting for a chance. "If the sixth merit list is published, I will be able to secure one of the vacant seats," she said. "I've taken the admission test for JU twice, and now, despite vacant seats, we are not being given the chance to study. Leaving these seats empty doesn't make sense, and it's disappointing."

Hani, alongside several other students, visited the campus on September 17, 18, and 19 to discuss the matter with the university's admissions office.

Syed Ali Reza, head of the admissions office, said they were informed that no further admission would be accepted. The group was directed to meet the Vice Chancellor, but their request for a meeting was denied.

Sheikh Kahrooba Munira Mughdha, ranked 663rd in the 'A' unit merit list, expressed similar frustration. "Despite vacant seats, we are being denied admission," she said. "I waited outside the Vice Chancellor's office, hoping for a solution, but was met with hostility from the staff."

Syed Ali Reza explained that the initial class start date was July 21 but was deferred to September 30 due to student protests, leaving 50 seats vacant.

Even after publishing the fifth merit list, around 20 seats remained unfilled. "We decided to conclude the admission process in accordance with the central admission committee's decision to avoid complications for students and faculty," he said.

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Reza added that some students withdrew from their courses, triggering automatic subject migration, which caused confusion and administrative challenges. "Since 2018, we have concluded admissions before classes begin, even if seats remain vacant, to avoid further complications," he noted.

However, many students believe that the university staff's reluctance to work is the real reason for ending the admission process prematurely.

Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) Professor Dr. Mohammad Mahfuzur Rahman acknowledged flaws in the admission process, attributing it to the unit-based exam system.

"Previously, students took exams for specific subjects, but now they are being assigned subjects they didn't opt for. This mismatch leads to many students leaving, and every year, 150-200 seats remain vacant after classes begin. If the subject-specific exams were reinstated, the situation would improve, and it would be easier to fill the vacancies from the waiting list," he said.