TUCA Struggles with Only 180 Students: Some Batches Have Just 3, Others 6
Tagore University of Creative Arts, located in Uttara, Dhaka, is grappling with a severe shortage of students, operating with only 180 to 190 students. This private higher education institution is facing an acute crisis across all its departments, with some batches having as few as three students and others only six. The university is teetering on the brink of collapse due to the student shortage, administrative stagnation, and the inactivity of its Board of Trustees. This situation not only threatens the academic future of its students but also raises serious concerns about the institution’s quality and sustainability.
The university, which received approval from the Ministry of Education in 2017 and the University Grants Commission (UGC) in 2021, currently operates five departments under three faculties: Music, Drama, and Dance under the Faculty of Performing Arts; Fashion Design under the Faculty of Design and Innovation; and Business Administration under the Faculty of Business Studies.
Since its establishment, the university has struggled to attract students, causing significant operational challenges. The Fashion Design department, under the Faculty of Design and Innovation, is currently the most affected. This department has approximately 50 students across seven batches. The first batch started with 20 students, but only six remain. The second batch, initially with around 30 students, now has just three, and the third batch has only five. According to UGC guidelines, each department must have at least four permanent faculty members, but the Fashion Design department currently relies on one part-time teacher and an advisor. As a result, the seventh-semester exams for the first batch have been halted. Other departments face similar challenges.
Beyond academic issues, infrastructural and service-related problems are exacerbating student difficulties. There have been allegations that electricity is occasionally cut off to reduce bills, though the university administration claims this was due to three months of unpaid electricity bills leading to a disconnection by authorities.
Students have also complained about the prolonged inactivity of several members of the Board of Trustees, which has led to administrative and academic stagnation. On 17 August, students met with the UGC Chairman to highlight these issues, noting that some board members have not attended meetings for one to one-and-a-half years, delaying critical decision-making and harming their education.
Parents are increasingly worried about their children’s future due to the university’s precarious state. Many have contacted the administration to cancel their children’s admissions. The institution is now facing not only a student shortage but also a growing crisis of trust. Parents have expressed alarm, stating, “The situation is deeply concerning. If administrative stagnation persists, the future of students studying at this university will remain uncertain.”
A Fashion Design student, speaking anonymously, said, “We enrolled in this department with high hopes, but the university administration’s negligence has cast our future into darkness. The department is being run with a part-time teacher. One female teacher was here, but she hasn’t come for a long time. As a result, our seventh-semester exams are stalled. We urgently need a solution.”
Dr. Islam Shafiq, Associate Professor and Academic Advisor at the university, commented, “The shortage of teachers in the Fashion Design department is being addressed. A recruitment notice has been issued, and interviews were held on 23 August. We are following UGC guidelines in the teacher recruitment process. This crisis will be resolved soon, and students will benefit.”
The university’s Registrar, Lt. Col. (Retd.) Mahmud Ul Alam, stated, “The inactivity of the Board of Trustees is their internal matter. However, from what I’ve heard, they are becoming active again to move the university forward. The electricity disconnection was not authorized, either openly or secretly, and is being falsely spread. The teacher shortage in Fashion Design is due to the lack of qualified graduates in this field. Nevertheless, we are actively working on recruitment, and a solution will be found soon.”
UGC To Take Action
In response to various complaints and irregularities, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has initiated an on-site inspection of the university. Recently, a delegation led by UGC member Professor Dr. Anwar Hossain and Director of the Private University Division Dr. Md. Sultan Mahmud Bhuiyan visited the institution. They found evidence of multiple irregularities, including a lack of administrative accountability, deficiencies in academic discipline, and negligence in university management, according to UGC sources. The UGC has directed the university administration to take necessary measures and issued a warning that failure to comply promptly could lead to strict actions under the Private University Act, 2010.
Commenting on the situation, Professor Dr. Anwar Hossain said, “The absence of teachers in the Fashion Design department is highly disappointing and alarming. The department is in a critically fragile state. According to the Private University Act, 2010, each department must have at least four permanent teachers, but this department has none, which is a direct violation of the law.”
He added, “We have already informed the university authorities to urgently recruit teachers for the department. We hope the Board of Trustees will take this matter seriously and act swiftly. If they fail to meet these legal obligations, the commission will be compelled to take necessary actions as per the law.”
