Rajshahi University (RU) has generated an income of nearly Tk31 crore from the sale of admission forms for the 2024–25 academic year, according to sources at the ICT Center of the institution.

The application process, conducted in two phases across three units, began on 27 January and concluded on 24 February.

A total of 441,972 students submitted applications during the initial stage, with an analysis revealing that 248,500 of them were unique applicants. The primary stage generated revenue of Tk5,467,000, thanks to a processing fee of Tk22 per application.

In the final stage, 237,415 applications were submitted across the three units—96,162 in Unit A, 42,433 in Unit B, and 98,820 in Unit C.

Units A and C together generated revenue of Tk257,376,240, owing to an application fee of Tk1,320, including service charges, while Unit B generated Tk46,676,300 against an application fee of Tk1,100.

In total, the university earned Tk309,519,540 from both stages of the admission process.

How the money will be spent

When asked about the distribution and expenditure plan for the revenue generated from the admission process, Professor Mohammad Nirjhar Rahman, Director of Accounts, declined to comment without prior approval from the Registrar.

However, a document obtained by this reporter outlines the intended allocation of funds.

According to the document, the Vice-Chancellor will receive an honorarium of Tk200,000, while each Pro-Vice-Chancellor will receive Tk150,000. The Treasurer and Registrar will receive Tk130,000 and Tk125,000, respectively.

The Chief Coordinator and Additional Chief Coordinator of each unit are set to receive Tk75,000, while each Coordinator will receive Tk50,000.

Additionally, chief invigilators will receive an honorarium of Tk3,000 per exam, while unit/department/institute officials will receive Tk2,000, and support staff Tk1,000 per exam.

The examination halls will maintain a ratio of one invigilator for every 20 candidates and one staff member for every 40 candidates.

Of the total revenue collected from online applications, 60% will be retained by the respective academic units, while the remaining 40% will be deposited into the university’s central fund. From the 60%, 5% will be allocated to the Dean’s and Institute offices, and 10% to departmental development. The rest will cover all admission-related expenses, including the entrance tests.

All administrative and operational costs related to the undergraduate admission process will be covered from the centrally retained 40%.

Speaking on the matter, Prof Md Farid Uddin Khan, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Education), said, “Full transparency will be ensured in the distribution of the admission fees. Due to the decentralisation of this year’s admission tests, overall cost has significantly increased compared to previous years.”

Notably, Rajshahi University’s admission tests for the 2024–25 session are scheduled to begin on 12 April.