Cluster admission test of 20 universities kicks off

A total of 20 public universities started taking cluster admission examinations for the first time on Sunday, in a bid to reduce hassles and the risk to contract the coronavirus.

Some 131,900 students took part in the competitive test for entry to the science departments of these public universities, which started at 12 pm at 28 exam centres across the country.

Students had to take an hour-long exam with multiple-choice questions worth 100 marks. A merit list will be prepared according to their results.

The universities in the cluster will admit students from that merit list for the academic year of 2020-21, following their specific conditions.

The admission test for the humanities departments will be held on October 24 and business departments on November 1.

A total of 361,406 students have initially applied to take part in the cluster admission tests for public universities, with 194, 841 of them applying for the science departments. Another 107,933 students have applied for the humanities, while 58,632 have applied for business.

But only 131,905 students applying to the science departments got the chance to take the final examination, but all students applying to the humanities and business departments will be able to sit for the tests.

The 20 public universities included in the cluster are: Jagannath University, Islami University, Khulna University, Cumilla University, Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University, Begum Rokeya University, Barishal University, Rabindra University, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Digital University, Sheikh Hasina University, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Haji Mohammad Danesh University of Science and Technology, Mowlana Bhasani University of Science and Technology, Noakhali University of Science and Technology , Jashore University of Science and Technology, Pabna University of Science and Technology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman University of Science and Technology, Rangamati University of Science and Technology, Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib University of Science and Technology, and Patuakhali University of Science and Technology.