A total of 78,711 teachers have applied for 13,559 vacant leadership positions at non-government MPO-listed educational institutions in a recruitment drive overseen by the Non-Government Teachers’ Registration and Certification Authority (NTRCA).
This recruitment drive represents a significant shift in policy, as it is the first time the NTRCA is managing the appointment of institutional heads and assistant heads, a process that was previously handled by local governing bodies or managing committees.
NTRCA Chairman Aminul Islam confirmed that the application deadline has been extended to midnight on 26 February to allow more candidates to participate, with fee payments accepted until midnight on 27 February.
The circular for these vacancies, which include principals, vice-principals, headteachers, assistant headteachers, superintendents, and assistant superintendents, was originally issued on 29 January following a Ministry of Education directive.
Data from the NTRCA indicates that the post of assistant headteacher in secondary schools has seen the highest interest, with 26,826 candidates applying for 3,872 vacancies. For the 3,923 headteacher positions in secondary schools, 19,838 applications were received, while 6,082 teachers are competing for 627 vice-principal posts in degree (pass) colleges.
Other institutional roles also saw high application volumes, with 1,233 applicants for 202 principal positions in Fazil madrasahs, 5,630 for 511 posts in higher secondary colleges, and 3,180 for 257 roles in higher secondary schools. Furthermore, 4,375 teachers applied for 504 headteacher positions in junior secondary schools, and 2,987 applied for 1,004 assistant superintendent posts in Dakhil madrasahs.
Significant numbers of applications were also recorded for leadership roles in Kamil and Alim madrasahs, as well as BM and Dakhil vocational institutions.
The selection process involves a 100-mark evaluation system consisting of an 80-mark written examination, academic certificate evaluations, and a viva voce.
Candidates will have one hour to complete the written test in a Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) format, where a penalty of 0.25 marks will be applied for every incorrect answer.
To pass, candidates must achieve at least 40 per cent in each segment of the examination.
The syllabus for the test encompasses Bengali, English, ICT, mental ability, general knowledge, and administrative and financial management, alongside subject-specific and institutional management knowledge based on the latest MPO guidelines.
This new recruitment procedure follows a Ministry of Education circular dated 27 January, which transferred the power to appoint institutional heads to the NTRCA to ensure transparency and eliminate corruption and irregularities reportedly prevalent under the previous system.
The NTRCA, which has been conducting teacher registration since 2005, has stated that the final selection will be conducted through a fully automated process based on merit and candidate preference. The authority, supported technically by the state-owned mobile operator Teletalk, has warned that any attempt at lobbying will result in disqualification.
