The High Court on Tuesday issued a rule asking Dhaka University authorities to explain within two weeks why the quotas for the children of university teachers and employees and the sports quota in admission should not be declared illegal.
The bench of Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Mubina Asaf issued the directive following a writ petition filed by 10 individuals, including lawyers, a rights organisation and a guardian of an admission seeker.
Petitioners’ lawyers, Humayun Kabir Pallob and Sulaiman Tushar, argued that the reserved seats for the children of teaching other staff of the university as well as for players contradicted with the Appellate Division’s landmark verdict on July 21 which abolished job quotas in the wake of nationwide student protests.
The Appellate Division’s decision, however, maintained a 7 per cent reservation in government jobs, specifically allocating 5 per cent for children of freedom fighters and war-time rape victims (Biranganas), 1 per cent for national minorities, and 1 per cent for persons with disabilities and third-gender individuals.
The lawyers contended that extending special privileges for the children of teachers and employees as well as sportspersons in DU admission undermined the principle of meritocracy.
‘These quotas not only deviate from the spirit of equal opportunity but also contradict with the student movement against discrimination that toppled Sheikh Hasina regime on August 5,’ Humayun Kabir Pallob said.
The petitioners raised concerns about the players’ quota in particular, saying that it was susceptible to favouritism and corruption.
They pointed out that under the current policy, children of the university staff could secure admission by merely achieving the minimum pass marks in admission tests, often at the expense of meritorious candidates who scored higher but were denied admission.
The rule comes amid growing calls for reform in the admission process of the public universities, with the critics urging institutions like Dhaka University to uphold merit-based selection to ensure quality education and fair opportunities for all students.
source: NEW AGE
