A discussion has been held on the possibility of reducing the duration of the diploma engineering course at the country’s polytechnic institutes from four years to three. The issue was raised during the Annual Development Programme (ADP) review meeting of the Technical and Madrasa Education Division under the Ministry of Education on Monday, according to the state news agency BSS. Education Minister Dr. A N M Ehsanul Haque Milan attended the meeting as the chief guest, the ministry said in a press release.

The meeting noted that students currently enroll in the four-year diploma engineering program after passing the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) or equivalent examination. The course was previously three years long but was extended to four years without major changes to the curriculum. As a result, students now spend an additional year before entering the workforce.

Discussions suggested that if the course duration is reduced to three years, students would be able to join employment one year earlier than at present.