UGC to Meet Vice-Chancellors: Will Cluster Universities Expand?

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has convened a meeting with vice-chancellors of cluster universities to discuss the cluster admission test for the 2025-26 academic year. The meeting is scheduled for next Monday (November 10) at the UGC building in the capital's Agargaon. In addition to the previous 19 universities, vice-chancellors of four more institutions have been invited, and they will be urged to join the cluster system, sources said.

The source said that last year, 19 universities participated in the cluster admission process. The year before, five universities left the cluster. The vice-chancellors of four of those have been asked to attend Monday's meeting. The UGC will appeal to them to rejoin the cluster. After the meeting, it will be known how many universities will participate in the cluster process this time.

It has been learned that a decision on when applications will start will be made this week. The application process for the admission test may begin next week. Earlier, on October 23, the admission test dates were finalized in a meeting held at the conference room of the UGC building in Agargaon, the capital.

As per the decision, the admission tests will be held on March 27, April 3, and April 10 next year. The 'C' unit admission test will be held on March 27. Besides, the 'B' unit on April 3 and the 'A' unit on April 10.

This time, Professor Dr Nakib Md Nasrullah, Vice-Chancellor of Islamic University (IU), has been given the responsibility as convener of the cluster admission test committee. And Professor Dr Kazi Rafiqul Islam, Vice-Chancellor of Patuakhali Science and Technology University (PSTU), will serve as member-secretary.

Today Saturday (November 8), PSTU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Kazi Rafiqul Islam told The Daily Campus, "The dates for the admission tests of the three units have already been determined. There is a meeting with the UGC and the vice-chancellors of the cluster universities on November 10. In addition to the 19 universities, four more universities have been invited to this meeting. We hope to start the activities related to the admission test applications next week."