Dhaka, Bangladesh – March 20, 2025 – The Admission Committee is scheduled to convene today, Thursday (March 20), after noon at the Directorate General of Health Education (DGHE) to discuss admission to public and private medical and dental colleges. Several important issues, including admission under the freedom fighter quota and the second migration for medical colleges, are likely to be discussed at the meeting.
Professor Dr. Rubina Yasmin, Additional Director General (Medical Education) of the Directorate General of Health Education, told The Bangladesh Affairs, “We have a meeting tomorrow regarding medical admissions. Multiple issues will be discussed at the meeting. There will also be discussions about the students who have passed under the freedom fighter quota. However, the final decision on their matter will be taken by the Cabinet Division.”
A source at the Directorate General of Health Education has informed that a decision on the second migration for government medical colleges may be taken tomorrow, Thursday. If everything goes well, the list of the second migration will be published tomorrow, Thursday. Besides, the situation of 77 candidates who have passed under the freedom fighter quota will also be discussed.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, an official of the Directorate General of Health Education told The Bangladesh Affairs, “The future of the students who have passed under the freedom fighter quota in medical colleges has become uncertain. Possible courses of action regarding them may be discussed. However, the final decision on this matter will be taken by the Cabinet Division. In addition, the admission of those who have passed under the freedom fighter quota in dental admission tests will also be discussed.”
It is to be noted that the admission process for filling vacant seats in public and private medical colleges for the 2024-25 academic year is ongoing from the merit list. After the first phase of migration and the publication of the waiting list, the admission process for 173 students from the waiting list began last Thursday and will continue until March 12.
Earlier, controversy arose after the results of the medical admission test were published on January 19, as some students with lower scores got the opportunity to be admitted under the freedom fighter quota. This led to protests and demands for the cancellation of the results of those admitted under this quota. Subsequently, the Ministry of Health Education and Family Welfare took the initiative to verify the certificates of the candidates admitted under the freedom fighter quota.
Out of 193 candidates under the freedom fighter quota, 77 have been identified as genuine children of freedom fighters after verification. These 77 candidates may get the opportunity to be admitted to government medical colleges according to the subsequent instructions of the Directorate General of Health Education. 158 candidates had submitted their certificates for verification. The admission of 35 candidates who did not submit certificates and the grandchildren of freedom fighters may be cancelled.
According to the admission policy, 5 percent of seats are reserved for the freedom fighter quota. If only 77 students are admitted under this quota, the remaining seats will be filled from the merit list.
An official of the Directorate General of Health Education said that the verification of the freedom fighter quota candidates has been completed as per the instructions of the ministry. Those identified as genuine children of freedom fighters may get the opportunity to study in government medical colleges, subject to further instructions from the ministry.
Earlier, officials of the Directorate General of Health Education had informed that the results of the certificate verification have been reported to the ministry. The government will take the final decision regarding the admission of the genuine children of freedom fighters.
In the results published for the 2024-25 academic year, 5,380 candidates were initially selected for admission to 37 government medical colleges. Among them, 193 were from the freedom fighter quota and 348 from the backward community quota. An analysis of the admission application data shows that 133,374 applications were submitted against the general seats. Among them, 59,554 students passed the admission test. Of these, 5,072 students were initially selected for admission to government medical colleges based on merit.
A total of 686 applications were submitted against the 5 percent or 269 seats reserved for the children of valiant freedom fighters, martyred freedom fighters, and war heroines. Among them, 193 passed. 493 candidates could not secure the pass mark, i.e., 40 marks in the admission test. The Directorate General of Health Education has informed that 77 of them are genuine children of freedom fighters.
An analysis of the results data also shows that 1,201 applications were submitted against the 0.72 percent or 39 seats reserved for the backward community (tribal and non-tribal candidates from hill districts, tribal candidates from other districts) quota. 348 candidates passed. That is, one in every nine candidates is getting the opportunity for admission.
This year, 60,095 students passed the MBBS admission test. The pass rate is 45.62 percent. A total of 5,380 students will be admitted to 37 government medical colleges and 6,293 students will be admitted to 67 approved private medical colleges.