FATA students: VCs asked to enhance admission quota

Current mess in tribal areas warrants immediate action from all, says HEC chairman.

ISLAMABAD:

Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman Javaid Laghari has written a letter to the vice chancellors of all universities to double the admission quotas for students from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) from one to two per cent.

“Fata is at a crossroad and the current mayhem and chaos in tribal areas could directly be linked to lack of opportunities for the local populace,” he wrote in his letter.

“The disgruntled youth can easily fall prey to the lure of extremists and there is also a dearth of educational institutions in Fata. The situation warrants urgent action from all and sundry,” he said.

The prime minister has also issued directives to provinces to make arrangements to reserve at least two per cent of seats for Fata students in medical, engineering and other professional institutions and universities, the letter said.

Meanwhile, the HEC has also decided to award foreign PhD scholarships to working journalists from Fata under the “Provision of higher education opportunities for the students of Balochistan and Fata” project. These scholarships will be provided for PhD studies at leading universities in USA, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand for spring 2014 session. Working journalists with Fata domiciles and master or equivalent degrees in journalism would be eligible to apply.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 24^th, 2013.