Cluster admission tests will be held in 32 public universities in 2021-22 academic year. This year admission tests will be held under cluster system in three more universities-Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman University, Kishoreganj, Chandpur Science and Technology University, Habiganj Agricultural University, said University Grants Commission (UGC) in a press release on Thursday. The schedule for the admission tests will be informed at the Bangladesh University Council’s meeting on Friday and exam centers this year will be arranged in colleges if necessary. The decisions were taken at a view-exchange meeting of UGC with the Vice Chancellors of the universities on Thursday. UGC chairman Dr Dil Afroz Begum presided over the meeting in presence of 36 university VCs and their representatives. Last year, admission test was held in 29 universities under three clusters- general, science and technology and agriculture.

The first-ever combined tests of 20 general, science, and technology universities for the academic year 2020-21 were held on Sunday. Considering the Covid-19 situation, authorities have set up 28 exam centres across Bangladesh, according to Wahiduzzaman, member secretary of the Cluster Admission Test Committee. Some 361,406 students have applied to take part in the cluster admission tests for public universities. Among them, 194 841 applied to science departments but only 131,905 students got the chance to sit for the test. The exams for the humanities (B) and commerce units (C) are scheduled to be held on October 24 and November 1 respectively.