Around 14,000 students who passed the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination under Chittagong Board this year would not be able to get admitted in the colleges of the port city for lack of sufficient seats.

Sources said a total of 39,944 students out of 55,002 passed out successfully in the SSC examination under the board this year with a percentage of 72.62, which broke all previous records.

Among the successful students, 4,316 secured highest Grade Point Average (GPA) 5 against the 3,313 of the previous year (2007). A total of 3,305 students achieved GPA 5 from the science group this year while 972 from the business studies group and 39 from the humanities group.

Five government colleges Chittagong Government College, Government Haji Muhammad Mohsin College, Government City College, Government Commerce College and Nasirabad Government Women College top the wish list of the students.

Among the 3,305 GPA 5 achievers from the science group, around 50 percent would not get the chance to get admitted in the

five government colleges as these colleges have only 1,650 seats for the students from science group.

But, the GPA 5 achievers from the business studies and humanities group are in a relaxed mood since there are 1800 and 1350 seats in the five colleges for them respectively.

Sources said these five colleges can only accommodate 4,800 students under these three groups. Of them, Chittagong Government College has 450 seats for science group and 300 seats for humanities group while Haji Mohsin College has 450 seats for science group. 300 seats for humanities group and 450 seats forbusiness administration.

City College has 450 seats for science group, 450 for humanities and 600 for business studies group while Nasirabad Women's College has 300 seats for science group, 300 for humanities and 150 for business studies.

There are only 600 scats for business studies group in Commerce College.

Besides, there are only 26,000 seats for the science, humanities and commerce groups in the 42 colleges including the five government colleges in the port city. As a result, around 14,000 students will have to get admission

in the colleges outside the city.

Principal of Chittagong College Prof Syed Mohammad Shahidullah said that due to lack of infrastructure facilities and sufficient teachers they cannot increase seats for admitting additional students.

He said they have only 80 teachers against the 104 posts for 16000 students of the college where they provide education in 17 subjects in honours and eight subjects in the masters.

He urged the government to increase the number of colleges and develop its infrastructure and appoint sufficient teachers in the existing colleges so that more students can be admitted.

Principal of Haji Mohsin College Prof Nurul Huda Sikder echoed Prof Shahidullah and informed that they increased 50 seats in the humanities department.

In this regard, Chittagong Education Board Chairman Professor Mohammad Yusuf said he informed the current situation to the government.

“We arc trying to ensure quality education at some of the new colleges where the students can continue their studies if they don't get chance at the renowned colleges," he said.