Staff Correspondent
A surprising trend has emerged in the admissions process for the 2025-26 academic year’s higher secondary (Class XI) level. The initial online application phase has concluded with a total of 1,073,336 applications submitted. However, this year, 1,303,426 students passed the SSC and equivalent examinations. Even after excluding approximately one hundred thousand students who passed in the technical education board, it is evident that over one hundred thousand successful candidates did not even apply for admission to any college or madrasa in the first phase.
According to the Dhaka Education Board, the application deadline was extended and ran from July 30 to August 11. The results for the students selected in this first phase of scrutiny are scheduled to be published today. However, past experience shows that many students are not selected for their desired institutions in the initial stage due to a mismatch between their college preferences and their merit position. Furthermore, a segment of students typically does not apply in the first round for various personal or familial reasons.
In light of this situation, opportunities for two more application phases have been kept open for those who missed the first round or were not selected. Applications for the second phase will be accepted from August 23 to 25, with results published on August 28. A final, third phase for applications will be held on August 31 and September 1. The entire admission process is planned to be completed through these phases so that Class XI classes can commence on September 15.
Educationists and authorities have offered multiple perspectives on this issue. Professor Md. Riazul Haque, College Inspector of the Dhaka Board, suggested that the figures for admissions to technical education board institutions are separate, so some students may have opted for that path. However, he acknowledged that a certain number of students traditionally do not apply each year. Notably, sources indicate that there are over 2.66 million available seats in Class XI at colleges and madrasas across the country, meaning a significant number of seats will remain vacant even if every passing student were to enroll. The reasons behind this phenomenon, such as a shift towards vocational training, pursuing education abroad, or entering the workforce directly, warrant deeper analysis.