HEC fails to launch scholarship programme due to lack of funds

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) failed to start a new scholarship programme as the government has slashed its budget by more than Rs14 billion during the last three years, Express 24/7 reported on Friday.

Sources said that only Rs1.94 billion have been given to the HEC from an allocated fund of Rs14 billion for the current year.

The HEC demanded Rs56 billion during the last three years out of which only Rs41 billion were granted.

As a result of the partial release of funds, no new scholarship programme could be initiated.

Most funds were deducted in the year 2009-10 when only Rs11 billion was provided to the HEC instead of Rs22.5 billion.

Chairman of the Implementation Commission of the 18th Amendment Raza Rabbani in March said that the federal cabinet had given approval for devolving five more ministries, including the Higher Education Commission (HEC), to provinces.

(Read more: Time to save the Higher Education Commission)

The announcement shattered all hopes of the HEC, which has started lobbying to control the finances of higher education. Rabbani announced that its functions, except maintaining standards of higher education, would be transferred to the provinces by re-drafting its Ordinance.

Rabbani added, however, that the ongoing scholarship programmes would not be affected despite the commission being devolved as per the 18 Amendment.