Students using AI to generate degree thesis, Senate panel told

ISLAMABAD: While discussing the increasing trend of plagiarism in thesis writing, Senator Dr Afnan Ullah Khan informed the Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training that students have become habitual users of Artificial Intelligence to generate their degree thesis, which negatively impacts their critical thinking and creativity.

The HEC chairman stated that with the rise of AI in 2023, they adopted an upgraded version of Turnitin software to counter such activities. The chairperson of the committee directed that all universities must adopt updated technologies and software to prevent academic dishonesty and help build an honest educational culture.

The meeting of the Senate standing committee, headed by Senator Bushra Anjum Butt, was held at Parliament House, which was attended by senators Syed Masroor Ahsan, Falak Naz, Fawzia Arshad, Dr Afnan Ullah Khan, Khalida Ateeb and the Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training. Senators Abdul Shakoor Khan and Nasir Mehmood, as movers of the bills, also attended the meeting.

All committee members emphasised the need to empower the education sector and recommended that universities and institutions develop strategies that enable them to become self-sufficient in managing their operations.

The Kaka Shaheed Foundation official briefed the committee on the work it has done for the education of underprivileged and marginalised people in Balochistan.

Senator Abdul Shakoor, mover of bill, requested the committee to unanimously pass the bill for establishing a university, but the HEC chairman said the requirements must be met to establish a university in the capital.

After detailed discussion, the committee assured the senator that the committee will take up the bill after fulfilment of the requirements prescribed in HEC rules for establishing a university.

During the meeting, a private member bill titled “The Nexus International University of Health, Emerging Sciences, and Technology, Islamabad Bill, 2025” was unanimously passed by the committee.

The issue of increasing seed money for the far-flung University of Chitral was also discussed. It was decided that all concerned authorities must coordinate with each other and present a concrete proposal in the next meeting.

The chairperson further suggested a meeting must conducted with the provincial authorities to resolve the funding issue.

The committee also discussed a long-standing issue faced by law students of Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, for not conducting supplementary exams for failed students of the 2018 batch.

Both the university administration and affected students were given the opportunity to present their perspectives. Finding the matter complex, the committee decided to form a subcommittee with instructions to summon all stakeholders, including the Bar Council, Multan.

The procedure for appointing the head of the Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design (PIFD) was also reviewed.

It was revealed that the head of the institution was appointed annually under the Federal University Ordinance/Act, 2002, which was now outdated.

The committee chairperson directed that the Federal University Ordinance/Act be revised, chance must be given to the new candidates to serve the nation and update the committee about the progress in this matter.