Comilla University tops competition in government university admissions

PNN News Desk

An analysis of admission applications for the 2025–26 academic year among top government universities in the country shows that Comilla University (CU) has surpassed Dhaka, Rajshahi, and Chittagong Universities in the number of applicants per available seat. Due to the limited number of seats and a large volume of applications, competition at CU has been the most intense this year.

According to the Dhaka University admission committee, a total of 284,216 applications were submitted for 6,125 seats across five units this academic year, meaning on average around 46 students are competing per seat.

At Rajshahi University, 272,625 students applied for 3,997 seats across three units, averaging over 68 applicants per seat. At Chittagong University, 233,327 applications were submitted for 4,165 seats across four units and three sub-units, resulting in an average of about 56 applicants per seat.

Compared to these universities, competition at Comilla University is even higher. According to university administration, excluding quotas, 96,780 applications were submitted for 890 seats in the 2025–26 academic year, meaning approximately 109 students are competing per seat, significantly higher than Dhaka, Rajshahi, and Chittagong Universities.

Registrar (additional responsibility) Dr. Md. Anwar Hossain said that to increase participation of students from northern regions, admission test centers have been established in both Comilla and Rajshahi this year. He mentioned that in the past, many students could not attend exams due to travel costs, distance, and other limitations, which this initiative will help mitigate.

He further noted that Comilla’s historical and education-friendly environment is gradually increasing student interest. However, compared to century-old universities in the country, CU is still in the process of improving its academic standards step by step.

Dr. Muhammad Sohrab Uddin, Dean of the Social Science Faculty and Professor of Archaeology, commented that establishing an admission center in Rajshahi for female students from the northern regions is a timely decision, reducing security and travel concerns.

The university’s central location along the Dhaka–Chittagong highway and good road and rail connectivity is making Comilla University increasingly attractive to students from various regions. Improved communication and comparatively safe environment play a major role in increasing student interest.

Experts believe that the number of applicants per seat reflects students’ trust in Comilla University, which is expected to encourage greater academic development in the future.