Part-1, Question-1
8. Read the following text and answer the questions A and B.
Tertiary education in Bangladesh comprises two categories of institutions: degree awarding universities and colleges affiliated with the National University (NU). There were only 4 universities in Bangladesh at the time of independence in 1971. All of those universities were publicly financed autonomous entities. At present, there are 35 such universities. Private universities are a relatively new phenomenon in this country. In the early 1990s, the private sector came forward to establish universities. Since then the country has experienced a spectacular growth in private universities– mostly in and around Dhaka and couple of other large cities. At present, there are 79 private universities. The number of colleges providing tertiary level education is around 1,400. Most of them offer BA (pass) education of three year duration; only one – third of them offer BA (Honors) courses and some offer MA degrees as well. All of these colleges are affiliated with the National University.
Accessibility to higher education
Accessibility to higher education implies that students get the opportunity to get university education and sufficient support from educational institutions. Increasing enrolment at the secondary and higher secondary level puts pressure on higher educational institutions. But due to limited capacity, only a small number of students may be enrolled in universities. Thus, each year a large number of students are denied access to higher education. Also, due to poverty and increase in educational expenses, students of the lower middle class do not get easy access to higher education. Moreover, those who get places in the universities have limited access to avail all kinds of diversified educational facilities relating to their studz fields. Only about 12 percent of graduates enter higher educational institutions. More than 80 Percent of these students are admitted to NU affiliated colleges. Others are absorbed by the public and private universities. In the last two decades, there has been a substantial rise in the number of students in private universities. According to the UGC Annual Report 2010, the number rose from 88,669 in 2005 to 2,00,752 in 2010.
Public universities in Bangladesh
Public Universities are the first choices of most students. The public universities offer a wide range of subjects in Science, Commerce, Liberal Arts, Humanities, Engineering and Technology, Law, Education and Medicine. Public universities attract the best minds to teaching although monetary compensation for teachers is anything but attractive. Library, laboratory, Internet and research facilities are much better there than anywhere else in the country. Seminars, symposiums, lectures, workshops, debates and exhibitions are often held in these institutions and there is ample scope for national and international exposure for promising young knowledge seekers. Moreover, public universities offer residential and boarding facilities at low cost/subsidized rates.
A. Choose the correct answer from the alternatives.
(a) The word tertiary mentioned in the passage means.
(i) primary
(ii) elemental
(iii) third stage
(iv) rudimentary
Answer : (iii) third stage
(b) What does the expression, ‘Public universities are the first choice of most students.’ mean?
(i) Few students like public universities
(ii) Many students like public universities
(iii) Private universities are better than public universities
(iv) All the students like public universities
Answer : (ii) Many students like public universities
(c) The word ‘affiliate’ mentioned in the passage means.
(i) involve
(ii) entangle
(iii) implicate
(iv) associate
Answer : (iv) associate
(d) How is the opportunity to get university education in our country?
(i) It is limited
(ii) It is sufficient
(iii) It is available
(iv) It is comprehensive
Answer : (i) It is limited
(e) The word ‘comprise’ mentioned in the passage means.
(i) reduce
(ii) contain
(iii) deduct
(iv) conform
Answer : (ii) contain
পরবর্তী অংশ আগামী সংখ্যায়