Class One admission age raised to six

The government has raised the minimum age for admission to Class One from five to six years under the Admission Policy for Private Schools, Schools and Colleges-2027.

The Secondary and Higher Education Division under the Ministry of Education issued the new policy on Tuesday, reverting to the minimum age requirement set out in the National Education Policy 2010.

Under the previous admission policy for 2025, the minimum age for admission to Class One was five years.

According to the new policy, a child must be at least six but under seven years old on 1 January of the academic year to be eligible for admission to Class One.

For the 2027 academic year, eligible children must have been born between 1 January and 31 December 2020.

Applicants must submit an attested copy of their online birth registration certificate along with the admission application form to verify their age.

Children with special needs may be granted an additional age relaxation of up to five years.

Lottery for Class One, admission tests for Classes Two to Nine

The new policy makes a lottery the method of selection for Class One admission.

Schools must prepare a waiting list containing an equal number of candidates alongside the list of selected students.

If any selected student fails to complete admission within the stipulated deadline, candidates from the waiting list will be admitted in order.

For vacant seats in Classes Two to Nine, students will be selected through written admission tests based on merit. Candidates seeking admission to Class Nine must have passed the Class Eight or equivalent examination.

For Classes Two and Three, the admission test will carry 50 marks, with 15 marks each for Bangla and English and 20 marks for Mathematics. The examination will last one hour.

For Classes Four to Nine, the test will carry 100 marks, including 30 marks each for Bangla and English and 40 marks for Mathematics. The examination will last two hours.

Heads of institutions will publish admission notices stating the number of vacant seats in their respective institutions.

The Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) will also ensure wider publicity by publishing notices in national and local newspapers and on its website.

Admission fee caps set for private schools

The policy sets the application form fee at a maximum of Tk110 for Class One and Tk250 for Classes Two to Nine.

Total admission fees, including session charges, cannot exceed Tk500 in rural areas, Tk1,000 in upazila municipalities, Tk2,000 in district municipalities and Tk3,000 in metropolitan areas outside Dhaka.

In Dhaka, MPO-listed institutions can charge a maximum of Tk5,000, while partially MPO-listed institutions can collect up to Tk8,000 for the Bangla version and Tk10,000 for the English version. Development fees at partially MPO-listed institutions cannot exceed Tk3,000.

Schools can collect annual session charges when students move to the next class but cannot impose readmission fees.

The policy also asks institutions to waive fees as far as possible for poor and meritorious students and those with special needs.

Institutions charging more than the government-fixed fees may face legal action, including cancellation of their MPO status.