No accreditation: Universities yet to be recognised by HEC

Parliament granted charter to varsities before they obtained NoC by commission

ISLAMABAD: Twenty-three universities across the country, a majority of them in public sector, are yet to be recognised by or obtain a non-objection certification (NoC) from the Higher Education Commission.

Interestingly, these universities have had their charter approved through the act of Parliament but they have not been accredited by the higher education body.

According to the documents available with The Express Tribune, the list includes four federal universities, seven from Punjab’s public sector, two public and six private universities in Sindh, two public institutes in Balochistan, and one each in Khyber-Pukhtunkhwa (K-P) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The question about the status of these universities has also been discussed in the National Assembly. Pakistan Peoples Party MNA Belum Hasnain asked the Minister for Education, Trainings and Standards in Higher Education about the steps taken by the HEC about such institutions.



HEC officials said the charter to these universities was hastily granted during the tenure of the previous government. "Usually anybody starting a university would first approach the HEC for an NoC and the body would issue one after ensuring that all criteria were fulfilled," said an HEC administration official.

Usually, the HEC coordinates with the provincial higher education body to guide non-recognised universities or degree-awarding institutes to submit the feasibility report in light of the criteria for establishing a varsity that is duly approved by the federal cabinet. Only four of the 23 universities have approached the HEC for an NoC and their application is being processed.

Besides, in case the charter is granted to a university by the provincial government without a no-objection certificate, the university is informed about all the necessary guidelines for the latter and HEC accreditation.

Earlier this year, HEC, in its 28th meeting on April 9, expressed concerns after the government passed the charter of four universities in haste.

According to the minutes of the meeting, universities without the no-objection certificate would not be eligible for funding by the commission nor would their degrees be attested, said officials. Besides, it was decided that HEC will write to the provincial and regional heads i.e. chancellors and chief ministers, to acquaint and sensitise them about the need for compliance of the criteria.

The 23 universities not accredited by HEC as yet

Federal (private)

My University

The Dar-ul-Madina International University

South Asian Strategic Institute University

Capital University, Islamabad

Punjab (public)

Ghazi Univeristy, Dera Ghazi Khan

Women University, Multan

Information Technology University, Lahore

Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture, Multan

Baba Gurunanak University, Nankana Sahib

Government Sadiq College for Women, Bahawalpur (NoC application under process)

Government College Women University, Sialkot (NoC application under process)

Sindh (public)

Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Sakrand, Sindh

Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi

Sindh (private)

Pakistan Institute of Management, Karachi

Nazeer Hussain University, Karachi

Hyderabad Institute of Arts, Science & Technology, (HIAST)

Qalandar Shahbaz University of Modern Sciences, Karachi

Karachi Institute of Technology and Engineering, Karachi

Shaheed Benazir Bhutto City University, Karachi (NoC application under process)

Balochistan (public)

University of Turbat, Turbat

Univeristy of Loralai, Loralai

Khyber-Puktunkhwa

Khushal Khan Khattak University, Karak (NoC application under process)

AJK

University College of Administration Sciences, Kotli (NoC application under process)