The lottery system for admissions to Classes 1 through 9 in public and private schools is being scrapped, Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon announced today (16 March) at a press conference at the Ministry of Education’s Secondary and Higher Education Division.

The minister said, “We have decided that from the next academic year, 2027, admissions to all classes will be based on a test. It will not be a complicated exam. We are not expecting to make first-graders into neurosurgeons. Students will be admitted through a simple test.”

Responding to a question on whether the return of admission tests would increase coaching businesses and undue influence, Milon said, “There will be no scope for coaching. The test will be simple, and everything will be conducted in a fair and straightforward manner.

“Parents have no reason to worry. I believe no education system should rely on lottery-based admissions.”

Previously, the issue was raised in parliament yesterday, when MP Hasnat Abdullah criticised the lottery-based system for primary admissions, warning it could harm student performance and worsen inequalities across English medium, general, and madrasah streams.