RU A Unit Admission 2026-27: The Humanities Test on 16 January
বাংলায় পড়তে চাও? দেখো: রাবি এ ইউনিট ভর্তি ২০২৬-২৭: মানবিকের পরীক্ষা ১৬ জানুয়ারি
On Rajshahi University’s proposed schedule the A unit — the arts, law, social science and fine arts faculties — comes last, on 16 January 2027. The timetable is still an admission-committee proposal and could change on final approval. Tests will run in seven divisional cities, Rajshahi among them.
By seats it is RU’s largest unit: in 2025-26, 111,514 applications were filed for about 1,897 seats, roughly 59 per seat. The merit list uses the test score alone — no marks are carried over from SSC or HSC GPA — so everything rides on the day itself.
RU A unit — dates
| Step | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| A unit test | 16 January 2027 (proposed) | Announced (2026-27) |
| Online applications | 12–27 November 2026 (proposed, awaiting final approval) | Announced (2026-27) |
| Test centres | Rajshahi, Dhaka, Chattogram, Khulna, Sylhet, Mymensingh, Rangpur (proposed) | Announced (2026-27) |
| Applications ran in 2025-26 | 20 November – 7 December 2025 | Last cycle (2025-26) |
| The 2025-26 A unit test | 17 January 2026 | Last cycle (2025-26) |
| Application fee | BDT 1,320 in 2025-26 | Last cycle (2025-26) |
Rows marked "last cycle" are 2025-26 figures and may change in this year's circular. Last verified: 26 September 2026.
A unit marks and the extra tests
The core paper is 80 MCQs worth 1.25 marks each, 100 in total, in one hour, with a pass mark of 40. Reports on negative marking differ across units, but for A both Prothom Alo and The Daily Campus give 0.25 per wrong answer, so prepare on that basis.
To study music, dramatics or fine arts you must also score at least 40 in a 100-mark practical, and English and the two law departments set a separate 50-mark written paper. If those departments are on your list, build that extra part into your preparation.
| Part | Marks | Who sits it |
|---|---|---|
| Bangla | 35 | Everyone |
| English | 35 | Everyone |
| General knowledge | 30 | Everyone |
| Practical test (pass 40) | 100 | Music, dramatics, fine arts |
| Written test | 50 | English, law, law and land administration |
Eligibility
In 2025-26 students with HSC from 2024 or 2025 could apply, and second attempts were allowed. Prothom Alo’s summary lists 3.00 in each exam and 7.00 total for humanities and commerce, and 3.50 each with 8.00 total for science — check the circular for which rule applies when a science student applies to A.
Seats are split by stream: about 55% for humanities students and the other 45% for students from science and business. Candidates from the other streams are serious contenders in A.
Seats by faculty
The 2025-26 report gives the A unit 1,897 seats and mentions a further 25 listed separately. The faculty split above, however, adds to 1,872, so it may be the previous year’s allocation. The unit covers 27 departments across four faculties plus IER; check RU’s own list for department-level seats.
| Faculty / institute | Seats |
|---|---|
| Arts | 886 |
| Social Sciences | 656 |
| Law | 160 |
| Fine Arts | 120 |
| Institute of Education and Research (IER) | 50 |
The 2025-26 contest
Note a mismatch: the three unit-level application counts add to 268,625, which is 4,000 below Bangla Tribune’s total. The two sources may have counted at different moments; the unit figure is the one that matters here.
| 2025-26 | Figure |
|---|---|
| Applications | 111,514 |
| Seats | 1,897 |
| Per seat | about 59 |
| RU total, all units | 272,625 for 3,997 seats |
Strategy for the A unit
- For the 30 general-knowledge marks, work through RU’s past papers and list the question types that keep coming back.
- Bangla and English make 70 marks together — two 35-mark sets a week, mixing HSC set texts with grammar.
- No GPA marks are added, so a candidate with modest grades can overtake on the test itself — treat that as your opening.
- If you want fine arts or music, finish practical preparation before January; if law or English is the target, practise essays and translation for the 50-mark written paper.
Sources
The dates and figures on this page come from the sources below, last verified 26 September 2026. The university's own circular is final — check it before you apply.
Frequently asked questions
The proposed date is 16 January 2027; it could change once the schedule is finally approved.
1,897 in 2025-26, with a further 25 mentioned separately. The 2026-27 figure is not out yet.
Bangla 35, English 35 and general knowledge 30 — 80 MCQs for 100 marks in one hour.
Yes. In 2025-26 about 45% of A unit seats were set aside for science and business students.
40 out of 100. Where a practical applies, it also needs 40 out of 100.
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