Higher Education Commission PhD degrees criteria PhDs defying criteria not to be recognised

Higher Education Commission PhD degrees criteria

PhDs defying criteria not to be recognised
Islamabad, Jan 12: Higher Education Commission (HEC) will not recognise those PhD degrees, which do not fulfil the HEC quality criteria and are awarded after July 1, 2009.

The Commission, in its 21st meeting held here Monday at the HEC Secretariat, noted with concern that despite the existence of clear cut criteria for the award of the PhD degree and a passage of more than four years from its initial approval, some institutions have awarded PhD degrees in violation of HEC's PhD award criteria.

The Commission also directed that development funding to institutions violating the quality criteria be curtailed and that the matter be taken up with the chancellors of the universities to ensure that the quality of higher education imparted in Pakistan is not compromised, and meets international standards.

HEC had developed comprehensive criteria for the award of MPhil and PhD degrees in the country in 2005. These criteria were developed after extensive consultation with all stakeholders and ensured that advanced degrees awarded in Pakistan meet international standards.

As per the criteria, it is necessary for the PhD dissertation to be approved by at least two eminent international experts in the relevant area and all scholars must publish a journal paper in any HEC recognised journal prior to the submission of the PhD thesis.

In the disciplines of Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and five other disciplines in which the international GRE examination is held, it is also necessary that the PhD scholars have cleared the international examination prior to the submission of thesis and the award of degree. The news