NA body refuses to give directions on dual degrees

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly’s Sub-committee on Public Accounts on Thursday declined to give any direction on the issue of dual degrees of 2,300 students and asked the Higher Education Commission and the COMSATS institute to resolve the issue on their own.

The committee also suggested that they might seek support of the Federal Ministries of Education and Science and Technology.The committee, which met here headed by MNA Navid Qamar, directed both the institutions to wait for the Islamabad High Court’s decision on the matter. It said the PAC was mandated to review accounts-related matters and the issue of degrees was not in its domain.

HEC Chairman Dr Mukhtar told the committee that the HEC followed the PAC directives, but the issue of the COMSATS institute and the Lancashire University was contrary to its rules.Dr Mukhtar urged the COMSATS Rector to issue degrees to students, which were already verified by it, so that they could apply for jobs.

HEC Executive Director Dr Arshad said the commission could not allow joint ventures between universities due to the difference in their transcripts.Dr Mukhtar said the commission had offered three options to the COMSATS institute for resolving the issue but they were forcing it for an illegal act of verifying the degrees achieved from abroad without having NOCs from the HEC.

The university rector told the body they had promised the students to issue dual degrees as they would not accept the one degree formula of the HEC. He said the court had decided in favour of the COMSATS institute, adding that the HEC would face a contempt of court case by not giving permission.

The NA body urged the HEC to resolve the issue on a permanent basis and make a proper law approved by the National Assembly to protect the future of the students.The HEC chairman said many universities were selling their degrees online for only 50 dollars each and added that the HEC could not play with the future of the students as it was bound to provide quality education to them.