Incomplete BS due to Covid-19: President Alvi asks university to grant female student extra year to complete degree

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has instructed the Air University to reconsider the case of granting one additional year to its female student to complete her degree as she was unable to complete the remaining courses of her BS degree due to Covid-19.

He expressed displeasure that the University did not timely process her case, even though the Higher Education Commission (HEC) policy and university regulations provided remedies to resolve such issues by granting the extension. He said that there was no reason for the University to deviate from HEC’s policy and recommendations, stating that instead of rectifying its maladministration, the University submitted a representation before the President without realizing its implications concerning public exchequer and wastage of the study timeline.

The President advised the Air University to not let the female student’s hard work and money go to waste.

The President gave these directions while deciding a representation filed by Air University against the order of the Wafaqi Mohtasib directing it to place Ms Iqra Munir’s case before the University Functional Committee (UFC) and reconsider it for allowing her one more year to complete her BS degree. As per details, Ms Iqra Munir (the complainant) had filed a complaint before the Wafaqi Mohtasib, alleging that she was a student of the Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Psychology in one of the colleges affiliated with the Air University.

According to her: “Due to the Covid, she could not complete her degree in 2020. She approached the University to allow her to complete the degree but she was advised to contact HEC for an additional year. Later, HEC advised that the competent authority of the University may reconsider her case for an extension given the medical history and the provisions already available in HEC policy and university regulations.

However, after a lapse of one year, she was not given an extension. Feeling aggrieved, she approached the Wafaqi Mohtasib who passed the order in her favour. The University then filed a representation before the President against the order of the Mohtasib. The President rejected the representation and observed that the University did not follow the recommendations of the HEC and did not put the case before the UFC, which was competent to decide the case.”