Admission tests of public universities would be delayed due to the country's coronavirus situation.

Earlier, the majority of the public universities had decided to hold honours first-year admission test for 2020-21 academic session in June-July.

Bangladesh Bishwabidyalaya Parishad, an association of vice-chancellors of public universities, yesterday sat in a virtual meeting and discussed delaying of the entrance test.

Barishal University VC Prof Sadequl Arefin and Shahjalal University of Science and Technology VC Prof Farid Uddin Ahmed said holding of the test would be deferred.

"We [Bangladesh Bishwabidyalaya Parishad] will sit for another meeting after Eid to fix the admission [test] dates of public universities,"said Prof Farid.

Usually, the parishad sits and fixes tentative dates for the tests so that the dates do not conflict with those of other universities.

Public universities usually follow that tentative dates while finalising their admission test procedures. The parishad in February sat  and set tentative dates for the entrance test of all public universities.

Most of the universities started their admission form distribution and submission process.

But as the Covid-19 situation worsened in the country, Dhaka University has already deferred their admission test dates.

On April 29, the DU authorities said the admission test for "Ka" unit will be held on August 6, "Kha" unit on August 7, "Ga" unit on August 13, and "Gha" unit on August 14, said a press release.

Earlier, it was decided that the admission test for "Ka" unit will be on May 21, "Kha" unit on May 22, "Ga" unit on May 27 and "Gha" unit on May 28.

Authorities of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) had extended the deadline till May 3 for the application process from April 24, due to the Covid situation.

Admission seekers will be required to sit for preliminary selection exams on May 30 and June 1, from which candidates will be selected for the final exams scheduled to be held on June 10.

Prof Farid Uddin said it was clear that they would also need to defer the admission test of 20 public universities holding cluster admission test.

He said primary application process of 20 general, science and technical universities began on April 1 and was supposed to continue till April 15.

"But we have extended the date for 10 days after the lockdown ends. So, we will need to defer the admission test," Prof Farid Uddin added.

The 20 public universities were set to hold the admission test on June 19, 26 and July 3.

The universities include Jagannath University, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Khulna University, Begum Rokeya University, Islamic University, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Cumilla University, Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University, Jashore University of Science and Technology, Pabna University of Science and Technology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University, Barishal University, Rangamati Science and Technology University, Rabindra University, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Digital University, Sheikh Hasina University, and Bangamata Sheikh Fojilatunnesa Mujib Science and Technology University.

The online application process enrolling for seven agricultural public universities under another cluster is going on. The last date for submitting application is June 10 and exams date is on July 31. 

Seven agricultural universities are: Bangladesh Agricultural University, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Sylhet Agricultural University, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University and Khulna Agricultural University.

Application process for combined admission test of three engineering universities -- Chattogram University of Engineering and Technology (Cuet), Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (Ruet) and Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (Kuet) -- will end on May 8. And admission test date is on June 12.

Rajshahi University authorities have planned to hold the exam on June 14, 15 and 16, while Chattogram University also has a plan to arrange the exams between June 22 and 30.

Tight competition awaits admission seekers of public universities this year.

A record-setting number of students got GPA-5 in the HSC examinations, thanks to the lack of actual exams and the results being reflections of each student's grades in public exams held before. For the first time in history, everyone who registered for the HSC cleared the tests as they were not arranged at all due to the pandemic.

Over 1,53,610 students have been awarded GPA-5 under nine general education boards. The number was 41,807 in 2019.

All boards combined, 13,67,377 students -- 7,06,885 boys and 6,60,492 girls -- who registered for the 2020 HSC exams from 9,063 institutions have already got their certificates.