The government has reduced a total of 572 seats in both public and private medical colleges for the 2025–26 academic session, citing deficiencies in infrastructure and teaching staff.
Of the seats reduced, 280 were from government medical colleges and 292 from private institutions, bringing the total number of seats this year down to 11,101, compared with 11,673 in 2024–25.
According to the new admission circular, 37 government medical colleges will offer 5,100 seats, down from 5,380 last year. Meanwhile, 66 private medical colleges, including one newly approved, will have 6,001 seats, compared with 6,293 in the previous session.
The newly approved Barrister Rafiq-ul-Huq Medical College in Dhaka has been allowed to enrol 50 students.
However, student enrolment has been suspended at two private medical colleges — Bikrampur Bhuiyan Medical College in Munshiganj and Monowara Sikder Medical College in Shariatpur — for failing to meet required standards. Together, the two had 107 seats.
Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser Professor Sayedur Rahman said the decision aimed to improve the quality of medical education as well as healthcare services.
‘We have decided to apply the same rules for both public and private medical institutions to ensure standardisation,’ he said.
The quality of medical education in Bangladesh has long faced criticism, with many colleges operating without adequate facilities, faculty, or equipment.
Professor Rubina Yesmin, additional director general, Medical Education, said that a comprehensive survey was conducted across all public and private medical colleges before finalising the decision.
‘Considering all types of facilities and capabilities, we increased or decreased seats accordingly,’ she said.
She noted that in the 2022–23 academic year, the previous government had increased 1,032 seats ‘arbitrarily’ despite widespread allegations about poor quality in medical education.
When asked about the reduction amid a shortage of physicians, Rubina said, ‘We cannot compromise with the quality of medical education since it deals with life’.
She added that institutions showing improvement in facilities or faculty would be reconsidered in future sessions.
This year’s HSC pass rate under nine general boards was the lowest since 2005, with the number of GPA-5 achievers nearly halved compared to last year.
As a result, at least five lakh first-year seats across public and private universities and colleges are expected to remain vacant this year. There are about 12,41,059 seats available nationwide, while only 7,26,960 students passed the HSC and equivalent examinations.
Seats for admission are available across 50 public universities, 2,257 colleges under the National University, and 114 private universities and still students continue to face tough competition for admission into reputed medical and engineering institutions.
