Private varsities reluctant to provide FF quota facility

Despite having legal obligation to provide full-free studentship for the children of freedom fighters (FF), many private universities are not giving the quota facility to students.

As per the Private University Act 2010, privately-run higher educational institutions are bound to provide full-free studentship for three percent children of freedom fighters.

But the latest University Grants Commission (UGC) report published in 2019 shows that 16 private universities did not give the FF quota facility to any single student in 2018.

“The private universities should provide the three percent quota facility as per law to the children of freedom fighter spontaneously but it is unexpected that many of them are not doing it,” said Prof Kazi Shahidullah, chairman of University Grants Commission (UGC).

The UGC chief also said, “It is disappointing to note that some of the universities are violating the conditions and rules set out by the Private University Act, despite repeated reminders from the UGC to comply with the provisions.”

The commission will take necessary measures in this matter, he said.

The latest UGC report published in 2019 shows that in 2018, there were a total of 3,61,792 students in the country’s 96 private universities, but only 4,460 of them enjoyed the quota facility.

Most of the private institutions for higher studies are depriving the children of the freedom fighters of the quota facility which is a gross violation of the rule.

The report also shows that at least 16 private universities did not enrol even a single student under the FF quota in 2018.

The 16 private institutions are University of Science and Technology Chittagong, International University of Business Agriculture and Technology, Gono Bishwabidyalay, Green University of Bangladesh, The Millennium University, Royal University of Dhaka, Victoria University of Bangladesh, EXIM Bank Agricultural University, Times University, North Bengal International University, German University Bangladesh, N.P.I University of Bangladesh, Rabindra Maitree University, University of Creative Technology, Central University of Science and Technology and University of Global Village.

Although some private universities are following the FF quota, they gave this facility to only a few students to show that they are going by the rule.

Even some private universities did not provide the quota facility to any student in the last five to six consecutive years.

Of them, the University of Science and Technology, Chittagong did not give FF quota facility to any student in the last five years from 2014 to 2018.

None of the FF children enjoyed FF quota facility at The Millennium University in the last five years from 2014 to 2018.

EXIM Bank Agricultural University did not provide the FF quota facility to any student in the last five years from 2014 to 2018.

The German University of Bangladesh did not give the FF quota facility to any student for the last four years from 2015 to 2018.

A UGC official said, “The government has kept a provision in the act to give quota facility to the children of freedom fighters so that they can get higher education free of cost.”

“But it’s a matter of great regret that most of the private universities are reluctant to provide FF quota facility to the students because of their commercial mentality,” he added

Although some institutions are following the FF quota, the number of students getting full-free studentship there is very few.

Brac University had admitted 3,664 students in 2018 and it is supposed to give full-free studentship to around 110 students under FF quota, but only 55 are enjoying the quota facility there.

Northern University is supposed to enrol 107 students under the FF quota, but only 12 enjoyed the quota facility in 2018.

Apart from the two institutions, many other renowned universities are also showing reluctance to follow the FF quota. Even, there are allegations that some universities are providing FF quota facility to the children of their relatives and known persons instead of the FF children.

Expressing frustration, Sajjad Hossain, president of Amra Muktijoddhar Santan, a platform of Freedom Fighters‘ children, said that the freedom fighters’ children are being deprived of the facilities at both public and private universities across the country.

He urged the authorities of the universities to provide the quota facilities to FF children following the existing laws in this matter.