Significant jump in HEC allocation to Rs35b

The budget to be utilised for 105 ongoing and 62 new projects

ISLAMABAD: In the budget 2017-18, the government has allocated Rs35 billion for the development of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), the federal authority that oversees higher education institutions in Pakistan.

This budget includes allocations for establishment of National Sports University, Pakistan Academy of Social Sciences, and drug addiction preventive programme in higher education institutes among others.

The budget is significantly higher than last year’s budget for HEC, which was Rs21 billion. However, interestingly, the finance division has only released Rs8 billion from the Rs21 billion to the HEC till May 2017.



Besides, Rs25.5 billion allocated for 105 ongoing schemes, the government has set aside Rs9.1 billion for the 62 new projects mainly focusing on development, research and innovation.

Among the new schemes, Rs20 million is earmarked for Pakistan Academy of Social Sciences, Rs100 million each for the PM University Olympics and the PM’s electric wheelchair scheme for university students.

Rs100 million has been allocated for global youth leadership internship programme; Rs150 for modernisation and upgrading of labs in engineering universities and Rs150 million for establishment of the National University of Sports in Islamabad.



About Rs200 have been set aside each for establishment of the National Centre for Cyber Security and the National Centre for Robotics and Automation. Rs100 is allocated for establishment of National Centre for Human Nutrition and National Centre for Basic Sciences. About Rs78 million are kept for bridging the job market skill gap for general postgraduate degree holders.

Rs160 million has been allocated for establishment of national institutes of applied technologies and specialised research centres to support the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) initiatives.  Besides Rs200 billion has been announced in development of academic and research infrastructure of University of Gwadar.

Rs150 million has been allocated for a medical college at federal level and Rs200 million for enterprise resource planning system.  Rs90 million are set aside for award of 50 scholarships for master degree classes in Punjab and 50 scholarships for Chinese language for students from Gwadar.

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For sub-campuses of a public sector universities at district level, Rs240 million has been allocated. A new university will be established in Chitral, women campus of a varsity in Bannu and a national livestock technology park at Ravi campus.

There are Rs100 million for global youth leadership internship programme.  About Rs150 million has been allocated to grant of foreign scholarships to law graduates from Balochistan.

Rs170 million has been announced for science talent farming scheme while Rs200 million for strengthening of core network and expansion of PERN footprints through the CPEC’s optic fiber.

Among the ongoing projects include schemes for establishment of universities, expansion of campuses and setting up of laboratories.

The projects are related to faculty development; establishment of innovative centres and centres of excellence; award of PhD fellowship to 5,000 scholars; provision of subsidy to scholars abroad under cultural exchange programme and setting up of women varsities in Pishin and Khuzdar.