The Jagannath University (JnU) in Dhaka has stopped enrolment in it evening courses, a day after the University Grants Commission (UGC) said public universities should shut down such courses as it is damaging the image of the institutions.
In an order on Thursday (Dec 12), JnU Registrar Md Ohiduzzaman told all departments to halt new enrolment for the evening courses until further order.
"We have stopped new enrolment in evening courses, but the university will complete the incumbent programmes," Vice-Chancellor Mijanur Rahman told Bangla Tribune.
On Wednesday (Dec 11), the UGC asked public universities to shut down evening courses public universities to shut down evening courses amid criticism from President Abdul Hamid.
Hamid, who is the chancellor of universities in Bangladesh, said a section of teachers were turning public universities into business organisations by running evening courses outside the regular academic activities.
JnU VC Rahman, however, said that they have been mulling to curb evening courses over "quality concerns" way before the president's criticism.
Seats for the Evening MBA course offered by JnU were cut by 80 during the latest enrolment, he said before adding, "To ensure quality, expansion [of the programmes] needs to be decreased. Now that the chancellor [President Hamid] has raised the issue, there's nothing else to consider."
Vice- Chancellors of public universities across the country received a 13-point directive from the UGC
In the letter, the regulatory body also called on vice chancellors to properly discharge their duties, seek the approval of the UGC before opening new departments or posts, and complying with the rules for making appointments and promotions at universities, among others.
The administration of evening courses should be stopped as it is damaging the image of public universities, according to the letter signed by Dr Shamsul Arefin, director of communication and information rights department of UGC.