There will be no seat crisis in higher education in the country, the University Grants Commission (UGC) says, noting that there are 1.32 million seats at the honours, pass course and equivalent levels.
There are 60,000 seats at 39 public universities and 203,675 seats at 95 private universities. The National University has 872,815 seats while the Islamic Arabic University has 60,000 seats and the Open University 77,756 seats.
Two international universities have 440 seats. Medical and dental colleges have 10,500 seats while seven colleges under the Dhaka University have 23,330.
There are 720 seats at four engineering colleges, 720 at six textile colleges, 5,600 at public and private nursing and midwifery and 654 at 14 marine and aeronautical colleges.
Apart from them, various institutions under the Dhaka and Rajshahi universities have 3,500 seats and institutions under the Chattogram University have 290 seats.
"There won't be any seat crisis in the current academic year," said UGC member Prof Dr Muhammad Alamgir said.
All 1.37 million candidates of last year's Higher Secondary Certificate and equivalent exams passed the hurdle without taking the test amid the coronavirus pandemic.
"Almost all candidates will get chances of higher education but there will be intense competition for preferred educational institutions and subjects," Prof Alamgir said.
In the 2020-21 academic year, 20 general and universities of science and technology and six agriculture universities will hold cluster admission test. Final decision on the admission system at universities of engineering and technology will be taken this week, he said.
