Jagannath University Vice-Chancellor Firm on Staying Out of Cluster System

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has appealed to vice-chancellors of universities that left the cluster admission system to rejoin for the 2025-26 academic year. However, Jagannath University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Rezaul Karim did not attend the meeting and has clarified the university's position.

Speaking to The Daily Campus today, Prof Dr Rezaul Karim said, "I had several schedules today, so I couldn't attend the meeting. Besides, it is not possible for us to join the cluster. We have already fixed the dates for Jagannath University's admission test and are working on implementation."

He added, "We received a letter from UGC to join the cluster. There was a meeting today. But I couldn't go due to multiple commitments. Moreover, it is not feasible for us to join the cluster. We informed UGC after our last academic council meeting. Vice-chancellors of five other universities that left the cluster were also invited today."

A UGC meeting source said the UGC appealed to universities that had separated from the cluster admission system to return. The vice-chancellors of the concerned universities said they will discuss the matter in their academic councils and convey the final decision soon. The UGC and Ministry of Education will take necessary steps thereafter.

The five universities are Jagannath University, Khulna University, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, and Comilla University. UGC had sent letters to the registrars of these five along with 24 universities to attend today's meeting.

Meanwhile, applications for Jagannath University's 2025-26 undergraduate (honours) first-year admission will begin on November 20. A notification published on the university's website late Thursday confirmed this.

The notification states that applications can be submitted online through the university's website from November 20 at 12:00pm to December 3 at 11:59pm. Applicants must pay Tk 1,000 for 'A', 'B', 'C', and 'D' units, and Tk 1,200 for 'E' unit. Detailed information, application method, and fee payment procedure are in the admission guidelines on the website.

The notification further states that only students who passed SSC/equivalent in 2022 or 2023 and HSC/equivalent in 2025, and meet the conditions for admission to various units of Jagannath University, can apply for the 2025-26 session. Admission tests will start with the 'E' unit under the Faculty of Fine Arts. The test will be held on December 13 from 3:00pm to 4:30pm.

The 'A' unit (Science and Life & Earth Sciences Faculty) admission test will be on December 26 from 11:00am to 12:00pm. The 'C' unit (Business Studies Faculty) test will be on December 27 from 11:00am to 12:00pm. The 'D' unit (Social Sciences Faculty) test will be on January 9 from 11:00am to 12:00pm. The 'B' unit (Arts and Law Faculty) test will be on January 23 from 11:00am to 12:00pm.