Digital lotteries for Class I, written exams for 2-9 in govt school admissions
The Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) will conduct the class one digital lottery centrally.
Government secondary schools across Bangladesh will admit students to Class 1 through digital lotteries and to Classes II-IX through written tests against vacant seats in the 2027 academic year, under a new admission policy issued by the government.
The Secondary and Higher Education Division of the Education Ministry published the Government Secondary School Admission Policy 2027 yesterday (13 October).
Under the policy, applications, fee collection, result processing and publication for all government secondary schools will be conducted online.
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Lottery, written tests and age limits
Children seeking admission to Class 1 in 2027 must be aged five to seven on 1 January and submit an attested online birth registration certificate. Children with special needs may receive an age-limit relaxation of up to five years.
The Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) will conduct a centralised digital lottery for Class 1, allowing applicants to select up to five schools. Each shift of a double-shift school counts as a separate preference.
Admissions to Classes 2-9 will be based on written tests against vacant seats. The one-hour test for Classes 2-5 will carry 50 marks: 15 each for Bangla and English and 20 for mathematics. The two-hour test for Classes 6-9 will carry 100 marks: 30 each for Bangla and English and 40 for mathematics.
Questions will follow grade-appropriate National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) textbooks. Each section can have a maximum of 55 students.
40% catchment quota in Dhaka
Government secondary schools in Dhaka must reserve 40% of seats for students from designated catchment areas, with the remaining 60% open to all applicants.
For Class 6, 10% of seats will be reserved for graduates of standalone government primary schools.
The policy also allocates 5% for children of freedom fighters and martyred freedom fighters, 2% for students with special needs, 2% for children of Education Ministry officials and employees, 3% for siblings of enrolled students and 2% for twins.
Another 5% of seats per section will be reserved for children of government employees transferred to new workplaces.
