HEC Asked To Ensure Private Institutions Not Allowed To Decide Fate Of Students

Ombudsman Sindh Ajaz Ali Khan Monday directed Sindh Higher Education Commission to ensure that no private institution or university should arbitrarily decide fate of students

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Sep, 2021 ) :Ombudsman Sindh Ajaz Ali Khan Monday directed Sindh Higher Education Commission to ensure that no private institution or university should arbitrarily decide fate of students.

Ombudsman Sindh directed the Secretary, Sindh Higher Education Commission and Chairman, Chartered Inspection & Evaluation Committee, HEC, to conduct enquiry and take legal action against Dadabhoy Institute of Higher Education for jeopardizing the career of students on ground of financial losses and take immediate steps so that no private institution/university in future should arbitrarily decide the fate of students, said a news release.

The orders were passed on the complaint filed by Rida Nazeer and other students in April, 2021 alleging that management of Dadabhoy Institute of Higher Education decided to discontinue the four year degree course of B.Sc Program in food & Sciences Technology, after two years in mid studies and compelled them to sign the consent forms for transfer to other institutions though they were allowed admissions for a degree program of four years.

They, therefore, solicited intervention to for securing their academic career.

The complaint was admitted and taken up with authorities concerned. In response, Dadabhoy Institute of Higher Education in its reports while admitting the facts stated that due to low number of admissions and fallen revenue on account of not achieving the target of admission of at-least 50 students, it was decided by the committee to close the program, however, efforts were being made to transfer / accommodate the students to other Universities.

The Sindh Higher Education Commission reported that Dadabhoy Institute had neither adhered to the spirit of Section 6(4) whereby the Institute had to abide by the directions from the Government of Sindh / HEC for any deviation into the study program / scheme nor obtained any permission from the Commission to discontinue the study, which was in contravention to Section (2) of Read with Section 9(1) and (3) of DIHE Act, 2003 (Sindh Act No.

III of 2004).

The Sindh HEC was also of the view that though the Institute was facing difficulties in continuing the program due to falling revenue proceeds, it was required to serve the interest of the students and education, so that they did not suffer and that Dadabhoy Institute was also bound to ensure either to continue teaching remaining courses or get these students properly transferred /admitted in any of the other Universities offering the said course. The representative of Chartered Inspection & Evaluation Committee had requested to decide the matter in the betterment of students keeping in view policy of the Institute.

The investigation established that Dadabhoy Institute of Higher Education discontinued the offered program, after two years, on the ground of falling revenue, without considering the interest of students and thus violated the provisions of law.

The Ombudsman has also observed with concern that the government functionaries including Chartered Inspection and Evaluation Committee had failed to perform their due role to save the career of students who had been pushed in the dark alley during mid of their degree program.

Ombudsman Sindh directed the Dadabhoy Institute of Higher Education either to complete the program of four years announced by them or the affected students must be transferred to any other reputable institution / university within one month. Besides, the Secretary, Sindh Higher Education Commission and Chairman, Chartered Inspection & Evaluation Committee, HEC, are directed to hold enquiry and take legal action against Dadabhoy Institute of Higher Education for jeopardizing the career of students on account of financial losses being faced due to low number of admissions in a particular faculty and also take immediate steps to ensure that no private institution is allowed to decide fate of the students just on the basis of monetary losses, and report compliance within 45 days.