Merit, not university background, must define recruitment: Milan

Employers should prioritise candidates' merit, skills, and practical capabilities over their alma mater, speakers said at a career-guidance seminar hosted by Bashundhara Shuvosangho on Saturday.

The seminar, titled "Merit, Not Institutional Background, Should Drive Employment", was held at the organisation's head office Dhaka, drawing students from Government Titumir College.

Bashundhara Group Adviser and Shuvosangho Chief Imdadul Haq Milan attended the discussion as the chief guest.

During the session, students highlighted prevailing hiring disparities between graduates of public and private institutions, demanding recruitment procedures become transparent, equitable, and strictly skill-oriented.

They argued that evaluating candidates through rigorous written and practical assessments, technical aptitude checks, problem-solving simulations, and structured interviews would establish genuine competence as the primary selection criterion, rather than institutional affiliation.

Addressing the seminar, Imdadul Haq Milan noted that thousands of graduates enter the national job market annually, but many encounter hiring biases where university branding eclipses demonstrable competence.

"Studying at a prestigious institution alone cannot serve as the sole benchmark of an individual’s overall ability," Milan said, cautioning that institutional bias deprives capable candidates of equal employment opportunities.

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He stressed that recruiters must focus on a candidate's subject-matter expertise, analytical problem-solving, communication skills, creativity, technical literacy, leadership capacity, and adaptability to learn new technologies.

Bashundhara Shuvosangho Director Zakariya Zaman said the session was held to raise career consciousness among youth and advocate for skill-driven employment models, adding that similar developmental initiatives will continue in the future.