A recent study reveals that the unemployment rate among graduates from National University-affiliated colleges is 28.24%.
The research also highlights that many of these graduates are employed in low-paying jobs, with women and rural students experiencing significantly higher unemployment rates.
The findings were presented on Monday during the third day of the Annual Development Conference organised by the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) in Dhaka.
SM Zulfikar Ali, research director of BIDS, shared the results of the study on graduate unemployment.
The research surveyed 608 colleges under the National University, from which 61 colleges were selected. The study included 1,340 graduates, 670 current students, 61 college principals, and 100 employers.
The study found that the largest proportion of National University graduates are in business studies, social sciences, and humanities, with very few graduates in science subjects (3.82% at the undergraduate level and 3.10% at the graduate level). Around 42.29% of graduates are salaried employees, while 16.24% are self-employed entrepreneurs.
The research highlighted that unemployment is particularly high among women and rural graduates.
Unemployment rates were also found to be higher among those who completed general education, such as those who passed the SSC before going on to graduate. In contrast, the unemployment rate is lower among students from technical and Dakhil education backgrounds.
Moreover, the study revealed that approximately 36% of graduates are employed in teaching positions, with many others working as officers or assistant officers.
About 43.13% of graduates expressed an interest in pursuing government jobs, with most aiming to join the public sector.
The research also uncovered several challenges faced by colleges, including poor education quality, low student attendance, a lack of teacher incentives and training, and a shortage of market-relevant curriculum.
Bd-Pratidin English/ARK
