The Ministry of Education has announced the admission policy for government secondary schools across Bangladesh for the 2027 academic year, introducing digital lottery-based selection for class one and written admission tests for classes two through nine against vacant seats.

The Secondary and Higher Education Division published the Bangladesh Government School Admission Policy 2027 on Tuesday night.

Under the policy, applications, fee collection, result processing and publication will all be conducted online. Each section will accommodate a maximum of 55 students.

Children aged between five and seven years on January 1, 2027, will be eligible to apply for admission to class one. Applicants must submit an attested copy of their online birth registration certificate as proof of age, while students with special needs may receive an age-limit relaxation of up to five years.

The Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) will conduct the class one digital lottery centrally. Applicants may select up to five schools in order of preference. Choosing both shifts of a double-shift school will count as two preferences. The authorities have been instructed to ensure transparency throughout the lottery process.

For classes two through five, the written admission test will carry 50 marks, with 15 marks each for Bangla and English and 20 for mathematics. Candidates will have one hour to complete the examination.

For classes six through nine, the test will carry 100 marks, including 30 marks each for Bangla and English and 40 for mathematics. The examination will last two hours.

All questions must be based on textbooks published by the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) and appropriate to the relevant grade.

The maximum application fee has been set at 110 taka for class one and 250 taka for classes two through nine. Admission fees, including session charges, will be determined in accordance with directives from the Ministry of Education.

Under the seat reservation provisions, 40% of seats in government schools in the Dhaka metropolitan area will be reserved for students from their respective catchment areas, while the remaining 60% will be open to all applicants.

The policy also reserves 10% of class six seats for students promoted from independent government primary schools.

Other quotas include 5% of seats for sons and daughters of freedom fighters and martyred freedom fighters, 2% for students with special needs, 2% for children of officials and employees of the Ministry of Education and its subordinate offices, 3% for siblings of current students and 2% for twins.

An additional 5% of seats in each section will be reserved for children of government employees who need to change schools because of their parents' transfers.

Separate admission committees will be formed at the metropolitan, district and upazila levels to oversee the process.

The policy outlines the procedures for student selection, admission tests, application fees and reserved seats for the 2027 academic year.