"4 Million Years Lost": Education Minister Urges UGC to Reform Admission Process

Education and Primary & Mass Education Minister Dr. A.N.M. Ehsanul Hoque Milon has expressed deep concern over the existing university admission system, stating that the lengthy process causes 20 lakh HSC candidates to collectively lose 4 million years from their lives. He urged the University Grants Commission (UGC) to coordinate with universities to streamline the admission timeline.

The Minister made these remarks while addressing a workshop titled ‘World Intellectual Property Day 2026,’ organized by the UGC on Sunday (April 26) morning. The event, held at the UGC Auditorium in Agargaon, aimed to accelerate research and innovation while ensuring the protection of intellectual property rights.

Addressing the delay in higher education entry, the Minister emphasized that the time gap between HSC results and university enrollment must be minimized. He called upon the UGC to sit with university authorities and finalize a unified schedule for admission tests to prevent students from wasting valuable years of their academic lives.

The Minister also shared his observations on the private university sector. “I am struggling to understand the direction of private universities; we are seeing proposal after proposal,” he noted. He expressed that while private universities were progressing well, new and arbitrary regulations should not be allowed to hinder their growth.

Dr. Milon pointed out a significant disparity in university funding. Although large budgets are allocated for institutional operations, he lamented the lack of adequate funding for research. “Have we truly considered what kind of budget is being allocated for research? Despite significant overall funding, research remains neglected,” he stated.

The workshop was presided over by UGC Chairman Professor Dr. Mamun Ahmed. The event was attended by UGC members, Vice-Chancellors from various universities, directors of IQAC cells, and senior officials from the Ministry of Education and related institutions.

The Minister concluded by stressing the importance of protecting innovators' interests to foster a dynamic research culture in Bangladesh, aligning with the goals of World Intellectual Property Day.