The Educationist Report

ISLAMABAD (April 26, 2019): The Higher Education Commission of Pakistan has decided to stick with it’s earlier decision to ensure that two years BA/BSc and MA.MSc degrees will not be offered by universities and colleges from academic year 2018 and 2020 respectively.

According to a statement issued by HEC spokesperson Ayesha Ikram on Friday, in accordance with a decision taken by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) in 2016, the old two-year BA/BSc degrees (equivalent to 14 years of education) and MA/MSc degrees will no longer be offered by Pakistani universities after Academic Year 2018 and 2020, respectively.

However, holders of BA/BSc degrees will be allowed to take admission in the third year (fifth semester) of BS (four-year degree) programme after successful completion of 15-18 credit hours of bridging courses as prescribed by HEC and the admitting University.

In place of the two-year BA/BSc, universities will now be able to offer an Associate Degree through recognized campuses or constituent colleges in market driven subjects, after necessary approval from HEC, for students with 12 years of schooling. Detailed guidelines for this programme are available on HEC website, she added.

Students holding Associate Degrees will also be able to re-enter the education system by getting admission in the fifth semester of a BS programme after fulfilling additional entry requirements, according to the decision.

However, students belonging to lower class and middle class have termed this decision as supportive to elite class and against the interest of economically lower segments of the society.

Muhammad Sharif, a student, said that he was doing masters in Punjab University after getting success in private BA exam as he was unable to get admission in a college and pay fee. “Now, the students like me will be unable to go for higher education. Other students also expressed similar views about this decision of HEC,” he said.