Punjab University (PU) has closed a century-old chapter of its history by stopping admissions for Master in Arts and Science (MA and MSc) degrees in all subjects.
The university has also advised all its affiliated colleges to stop admissions in the master’s degree programme in accordance with instructions of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan.
However, a large number of students from remote districts and villages of the province fear that they would be deprived of the opportunity to pursue higher education because of the decision.
Especially female students from South Punjab complained that the MA programme was the option for them to get postgraduate education.
The oldest university of the country has declared that it will not offer any MA programme and in future. The institution will not enroll students for MA and MSc programmes in the 2021- 22 academic sessions and a notification in this connection has also been issued.
However, the decision has caused concerns among a large number of students.
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During the university’s history, millions of people have earned the qualification after completing the MA programme that was initiated about 100 years ago.
Thousands of students, especially from the remote districts, registered as private candidates and appeared in the MA examinations.
The decision to discontinue the programme has disappointed a large number of such students and their parents. A majority of such students lack resources to study on the university campus.
A senior official of the university said while speaking to The Express Tribune, "A meeting of PU Deans Committee was held at the university, in which it was decided that the MA and MSc programmess will be discontinued.
There will be no admissions to the university for MA and MSc this year. The PU has also advised its affiliated colleges to not give admissions this year in MA and MSc.”
It was decided that the title of the degrees would be changed and the students who have completed BA or BSc would be given admissions to the fifth semester of the BS honours programmes, the official added. He said the admission as well as registration for MA and MSc would be stopped from this year.
The official said the committee was informed during a meeting that the HEC had already introduced the BS Honours and MS pogrammes to replace the BA/BSc and MA/MSc degrees.
On the other hand, students and parents are calling for a review of the decision from the Punjab governor who is the chancellor of the university. They contend that the move would limit the opportunities for students facing financial constraints to pursue higher education.
"Majority of the population in Punjab, especially the southern region, belongs to the poor class and students here, especially females, study privately for higher qualifications because we cannot afford attending the universities,” said Bashir Baloch, a resident of Taunsa.
He said the men and women of his region mostly did MA privately or MSc from colleges and the changes introduced by the authorities would discourage them.
“The government on one hand is raising slogans about promoting education and on the other is limiting the educational opportunities. It is not fair that the administration of a government university has shut the door of education for the poor,” he complained.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 1st, 2021.
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It s not a good decision at all private admission should be continued.