HEC, Provincial HEDs Taking Joint Action Against Fake, Illegal Institutions

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Sep, 2022 ) :The Higher education Commission (HEC) is working in close coordination with all provincial Higher Education Departments to trace illegal universities and institutions, while also taking strict action against such educational institutes.

According to official sources, the HEC takes appropriate action against the illegal, unauthorized institutions on public complaints.

Moreover, the Names of such institutions was included in the list of 'fake, illegal universities, campuses and 55 affiliated colleges,' and the same list was available on the HEC website, the sources added.

However, they said that the HEC placed an advisory on its website along with periodic alerts published in national and regional dailies, regularly cautioning parents, students, and public not to seek admission in banned universities, institutions as qualifications obtained from these would not be recognized or validated.

The sources informed that the commission urged the general public that for the convenience of students and general public, the HEC had also uploaded a list of recognized institutions on its website.

The HEC had also suspended operations of illegal colleges and campuses of various universities and a few of such cases were referred to different government functionaries from time to time for taking stern action against such institutions, they said.

All the recognized universities, institutions and campuses were regularly monitored by the HEC Quality Assurance Agency and the compliance of HEC rules and regulations was ensured by these institutions, they said.

On account of non-compliance, the degree programme(s) were either halted or fresh intake was stopped till adhering to all requirements of the HEC, the sources said.

The HEC, they said, was combating the menace of fake, illegal educational institutions and sought continuous support of all stakeholders in promoting this national cause.

It is worth mentioning here that in 2005, the HEC devised an affiliation criteria and the same was notified with all public sector higher educational institutions, and provincial governments for compliance. As per this criteria, only public sector universities can grant affiliation.

In provinces, the public sector universities and respective higher educational departments were looking after the affiliation matters. However, a college or institute located in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) needs to seek HEC's NOC before affiliation with any public sector university.