Govt School Admission 2027: Tests for Classes 2 to 9, Lottery for 1

Bangladesh’s Ministry of Education has published its admission policy for government secondary schools. Class One admissions will use a lottery, while Classes Two to Nine will require written tests.

The policy was announced in a notice on Tuesday, October 13. Tania Ferdous, deputy secretary of the ministry’s Secondary and Higher Education Division, signed it.

The notice sets out how schools must fill vacant seats and prepare waiting lists. It also specifies test subjects, marks and exam duration for different classes.

Class One lottery and school choices

Under the policy, students applying for Class One can choose up to five institutions. These choices must be listed in order of preference.

Choosing both shifts at a school with two shifts will count as two choices. Families must account for this when deciding which schools and shifts to select.

The policy also sets a strict rule against multiple applications to one institution. If a student submits more than one application to the same institution, all will be cancelled.

The Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education will centrally manage the Class One admission process. It will select students through a digital lottery.

Admission committee members must be present when the lottery takes place. The policy requires transparency throughout the process, including the selection of students.

Written tests for Classes Two to Nine

Schools must select students for vacant seats in Classes Two to Nine through written examinations. Admission will be based on merit, according to the policy.

Applicants for Classes Two to Five will sit a 50-mark test lasting one hour. Bengali and English will carry 15 marks each, while Mathematics will carry 20.

For Classes Six to Nine, the written test will carry 100 marks. Students will have two hours to complete the examination.

Bengali and English will each carry 30 marks for this group. Mathematics will carry 40 marks, making it the highest-marked subject in both test groups.

The subject breakdown gives families details of what each admission test will cover. The total marks and available time will depend on the class sought.

Waiting lists and admission notices

Both admission methods require a selected list and a waiting list. Each waiting list must contain as many students as there are vacant seats.

The admission committee will set the deadline for selected students to enrol. If a selected student misses that deadline, the place must be offered from the waiting list.

Schools must follow the waiting list in sequence when filling those places. This requirement applies to both lottery selections and admissions through written tests.

Institution heads will publish admission notices following the admission committee’s decision. Each notice must state how many vacant seats the institution has.

The admission committee will also arrange wide publicity for the notices. It will share them through national and local newspapers, websites and other channels.