Lottery or Merit: School Admissions in Bangladesh

Published on: April 7, 2026

Bangladesh continues to suffer from notable socio-economic inequality along with a deeply rooted elitist mentality. There is also a tendency to rely on bribery and connections to get the job done. As a result, when discussing the school admission system, it is impossible to ignore these underlying realities.  

In the first tenure of fascist Hasina, ousted prime minister of Bangladesh, the decision was made to introduce a lottery based admission system in class one. This method was further expanded in 2021, when admissions for both primary and secondary schools were brought under the same system. This method received both criticism and praise but due to inconsistent and improper application there remained a general sense of confusion. 

Before 2021, there was a massive fight for a seat in alleged "reputed schools." Many guardians treated admission to these schools as a marker for social status. Students were sent to coaching centers as early as four years old or even younger. Such early academic pressure deprived a lot of children from playful and carefree experiences of childhood which are essential for their mental development. Parents engaged in an unhealthy competition with their fellow parents, each striving to outdo the other over whose child can "crack" the test.

A booming coaching business rose from this situation. With the school teachers often being involved, the market grew rapidly exploiting the children. It was often alleged that coaching centers were merely a face behind question leaks. Even if one chooses not to believe these allegations, it still does not justify putting such young children through such a rigorous process.

We need to understand that when the government initially decided to introduce the lottery system, the rationale was to resolve these very issues. The philosophy was to abolish the upper hand the privileged class gets by default, whose children often have early access to structured learning environments and can afford expensive coaching. Although the problems have not been totally eradicated, it certainly has raised a new set of questions.

The new policy led to increased accusations of bribery as there were very few tools available to ensure the transparency of the process in the first place. Once again, the upper class got the advantage of getting admission to the reputed schools. This has led some to argue that admission tests, although pressurizing, may have had the benefit of selecting the best candidates irrespective of their background. A lot of top tier schools' results drastically fell during the period. Whether the drop in results is due to the admission system or a general collapse in the education sector, that is uncertain.

On the return of the admission tests, the education minister has stated that the exams will be simple and they will be designed to limit the scope of any coaching centers rising. It is still unclear how these admission tests will be designed, but it is evident that these tests will once again put the pressure on the children. Experts are worried that such a decision can put a heavy toll on the early mental development of the kids. Policymakers, therefore, suggest not rushing the decision but plan thoroughly.