The Ministry of Education has announced that from the 2025 academic year, students will be admitted to first through ninth grades in all public and private secondary schools in metropolitan and district headquarters areas through a lottery system. Online applications began on Tuesday, November 12, and will remain open until 5 PM on November 30. The lottery will take place in December.
Application process
The application fee is 110 BDT, payable via SMS from a Teletalk prepaid mobile. Applicants can fill out the form online at [https://gsa.teletalk.com.bd](https://gsa.teletalk.com.bd), with separate links for government and private schools. Lists of schools based on police station areas (for public schools) and metropolitan/district headquarters (for private schools) will be available during the application process.
Student age requirements
As per the National Education Policy 2010, students must be at least 6 years old for first-grade admission. Age requirements for subsequent grades will follow accordingly. Specially-abled students can receive an additional 5-year age extension, with a minimum age of 5 and a maximum age of 7. A certified copy of the birth certificate is required for age verification.
The 2025 academic year will include students born between January 1 and December 31, with each class accommodating up to 55 students.
Reserved quotas and special admissions
For Dhaka public schools, 40% of seats are reserved for students from the designated catchment areas. This year, the 5% quota for freedom fighters' children will specifically apply to their direct children, with unfilled seats being filled from the merit list.
In grade six, 10% of seats will be reserved for students who have completed fifth grade in a government primary school. Specially-abled students are entitled to a 2% reserved quota, and if any seats remain unfilled, they will be filled from the waiting list. Similarly, 2% of seats will be reserved for children of officers and staff in the Ministry of Secondary and Higher Education, with a lottery if there are too many applicants.
Siblings and twins admission
A 3% quota will be reserved for siblings or twins already studying at the same school, applicable for up to two children per family.
School preferences
Students can select up to 5 schools for their application. If choosing both shifts at a double-shift school, it counts as two preferences. The online system will allow students to finalize one school choice, ensuring transparency in the process.
