HEC bans establishment of sub-campuses of varsities

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan has imposed an immediate ban on the establishment and operation of sub-campuses of universities across the country, including Sindh.

According to a letter issued on April 15 by HEC Chairman Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmad Akhtar to vice chancellors and rectors of public universities, the ban applies specifically to the establishment of university sub-campuses at the tehsil level. Under this directive, no land acquisition, construction, admissions, teaching activities, or operations related to such campuses will be allowed.

The letter states that exercising powers under the HEC Ordinance 2002, the commission has decided not to permit any new sub-campuses at the tehsil level. This decision was taken after a detailed review of the academic capacity and administrative capabilities of such campuses.

The assessment revealed that tehsil-level sub-campuses are often structurally weak and academically unsustainable. These campuses frequently face difficulties in hiring and retaining PhD-qualified faculty, have limited student enrollment, and offer restricted academic programmes. Additionally, they often lack essential facilities such as laboratories, technical infrastructure, accommodation, and adequate learning resources required for quality higher education.