Punjab government has abolished the two-year graduation and master's degree programmes in more than 780 government colleges and 30 universities across the province.
In future, the government colleges and universities will enroll students only in the four-year BS honours programmes. The qualification will be considered equivalent to a 16-year degree. From the 2020-21 academic year, admissions for the two-year BA, BSc, BCom and BSc computer science degrees in government colleges and universities across Punjab have been stopped.
Instead, the four-year BS honours programmes in physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology, computer science, economics, English, Persian, Arabic, Punjabi and fine arts have been implemented, keeping in view the international standards.
Reportedly, the credit hour system has also been introduced. The two-year intermediate and four-year BS honours programme will entitle students to the 16-year degree.
The provincial government has also issued written instructions to all departments and agencies, including the Punjab Public Service Commission, to ensure that the eligibility in future job advertisements is set as BS honours.
Regular annual candidates who have completed the two-year BA and BSc, numbering around 150,000, and around 800,000 private candidates were enrolled in the two-year graduation programmes.
After the move, those having the two-year degree will have to complete the four-year programme for qualifying for the jobs on the basis of BS.
On the other hand, the two-year programmes at masters level have also been abolished as the completion of the four-year honours programmes is recognised as a 16-year qualification.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, Punjab Minister for Higher Education Raja Yasir Humayun Sarfaraz said that the two-year graduate and two-year master's degree programmes have been abolished in order to enhance the quality of education and meet the requirements of international education and research.
Two-year graduate programmes have been given the status of an associate degree in view of the need for immediate employment, he added. “If the candidates want to complete graduation, they have to take two more years of education from any relevant university so that they can complete four years.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 3rd, 2020.
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