Md Tanvir Hossain, JnU

The cluster admission test system, introduced in 2021 to reduce students' admission-related difficulties, lower financial costs, and improve the quality of education, has failed to achieve its goals, according to the Jagannath University (JnU) Teachers’ Association.

They claim that the cluster system undermines the autonomy of public universities and serves the interests of certain groups at the expense of the universities.

These remarks were made during a press conference held on Sunday at the teachers’ lounge of Jagannath University (JnU).

Professor Dr. Md. Rais Uddin, newly elected General Secretary of the JnU Teachers' Association, stated at the conference, “Since its establishment, Jagannath University has conducted admission tests independently based on the decisions of the Academic Council, as per university regulations. However, certain individuals, aligned with the authoritarian government, have imposed the cluster system on all universities to serve their vested interests, creating instability within the institutions.

Moreover, this system has caused session delays, favoring private universities financially. The imposition of the cluster system has also led to an increase in vacant seats at public universities, a phenomenon that did not exist in the previous independent admission process.

We believe the cluster system is a covert attempt to dismantle public universities.”

Following the press conference, the Teachers’ Association issued a statement saying that since 2021, they have raised concerns and protested against the inclusion of Jagannath University in the cluster system. Previous teacher leaders believed the decision to include JnU in the cluster system was part of a larger conspiracy. Numerous meetings have been held, advocating for a return to the university’s independent admission process. However, due to the influence of vested interests, JnU could not withdraw from the cluster system after joining.

The statement further clarified that the Academic Council unanimously decided to move away from the cluster system and revert to the university’s independent admission test process. The university administration and teachers are united in supporting this decision, which aims to uphold the quality and prestige of education at JnU.

Addressing allegations that teachers are motivated by financial gain to withdraw from the cluster system, the statement dismissed the claims as baseless. It provided statistics to refute the allegations, highlighting that during the 2018-19 academic session, teachers earned significantly more under the cluster system than during independent admission tests. For instance, in the 2020-21 session, teachers earned 75% more under the cluster system, which increased to approximately 250% more in the 2022-23 session.

Despite the financial benefits, the university prioritizes maintaining its academic standards. The statement also pointed out that during the last four cluster admission tests, JnU had 360 vacant seats—something that never occurred under the independent admission system.

Teacher leaders concluded by addressing the government’s recent proposal in December 2023 to establish a National Testing Authority for unified admission tests across all universities. They expressed willingness to cooperate if the system is well-organized and transparent. Otherwise, JnU will continue with its current admission process based on the Academic Council's decision, ensuring that admission tests will be held on the pre-announced date.