Government Signals Return to Merit-Based Admissions; Lottery System May End

This development was shared on Monday morning, March 16, 2026, during a seminar at a hotel in the capital, where the Prime Minister’s Education Adviser, Mahdi Amin, and Education Minister Anm Ehsanul Hoque Milan discussed the future of the national admission policy.

Education Adviser Mahdi Amin stated that the administration is inclined to reintroduce examination-based admissions to ensure academic standards. Echoing this sentiment in the National Parliament yesterday, Education Minister Anm Ehsanul Hoque Milan noted that the government is critically reviewing whether the current lottery system devalues merit. Highlighting the differing realities of rural and urban education sectors, the Minister expressed skepticism regarding the long-term logic of the lottery method. However, he clarified that a definitive policy change will be finalized for implementation by 2027.

In addition to the admission overhaul, the Education Minister revealed that efforts are underway to bring English medium schools under a formal government framework to align them with the National Education Policy. The government is also actively working to integrate Ebtedayee and Qawmi Madrasa education into the mainstream curriculum. Public opinion will be gathered through consultations with parents and stakeholders before the final decision is reached for the January 2027 admission cycle.