ABSTRACT
This research investigates how language requirements in admission tests play a(n) (un)equal role in allowing or disallowing applicants to gain admission to their desired universities and courses. Adopting a qualitative study approach, data have been collected through in-depth interviews with 22 participants from three groups of students from English, Bangla, and madrasah backgrounds who sat for university admission tests at a flagship university in Bangladesh. The thematic analysis of the data reveals that language requirements in university admission tests play an unequal role as supporters and barriers to enrolling in desired subjects and universities for many meritorious students. While better English-language skills empower English-medium learners to perform better on the English portion of admissions tests and gain access to university education, students from Bangla and madrasah backgrounds, on the other hand, face discrimination and marginalisation due to their lower English proficiency. Furthermore, various socioeconomic and other factors play unequal roles in developing learners’ language skills and their associated success or failure in admissions tests and university enrolment. Hence, the study suggested switching to an alternative admission test that makes substantial strides toward fusing academic excellence and social inclusion.
