ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has expressed displeasure over delay by Higher Education Commission (HEC) for not attesting degree of former student on flimsy grounds and upheld orders of Wafaqi Mohtasib directing HEC to attest her degree within seven days.

President also instructed for initiating an inquiry against delinquent official responsible for wasting precious months of student. He gave these directions while rejecting representation filed by HEC against decision of Wafaqi Mohtasib directing it to attest female student’s BA degree within seven days.

As per details, Savera Afridi (complainant) had applied to HEC for attestation of her BA degree and DMC but she was informed that since session of her degree was 2020, it could not be attested as HEC had phased out two-year conventional B.A/B.Sc. programme and universities were not allowed to enroll students in conventional B.A/B.Sc. programme after academic year 2019. Feeling aggrieved, complainant approached Wafaqi Mohtasib who passed orders in her favour. HEC then filed representation as well as review petition with Mohtasib, which were rejected. Later, Commission filed representation against orders of Mohtasib with President. President held personal hearing of case and rejected HEC’s representation.

He observed that complainant was given admission by University of Peshawar for session 2019-2020 and complainant had produced letter of University September 1, 2022 which showed that complainant’s session for her BA degree was 2019-2020 and she was given admission in January 2020.

He added that since complainant was given admission by University for session 2019-2020, therefore, there was no fault on part of complainant and she should not suffer for acts and omissions of University if it had violated HEC’s policy by allowing registrations for such session.

He stated that Wafaqi Mohtasib had rightly observed that it was HEC’s responsibility as regulator to see as to whether its decisions were being implemented by universities and any lapse on its part amounted to failure to perform its statutory obligations. President Alvi held that student should not suffer because of inaction of HEC or University.

Published in The Daily National Courier, December, 28 2023

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