New Undergraduate and MPhil/PhD policy approved with major changes

Karachi: The Higher Education Commission of Pakistan has approved Undergraduate and MPhil/PhD policy for universities and degree colleges across the country, both policies will be applicable from the same year 2023 and will be effective from new admissions. will

Approval of the policies The commission meeting was held on the last day of office affairs before Eid, while approving the undergraduate policy, the features of the two-year associate degree and four-year BS programs were clarified.

While approving the M.Phil/Ph.D. Can also add points.

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With regard to both the above mentioned policies, there have been major changes in the admissions, framework and program structure at the undergraduate and MPhil/PhD level, according to which two-year associate degree programs are now being conducted in public and private colleges affiliated to universities. In the Eight Degree (AD) program, examination results will be released on the basis of “CGPA” rather than grades or division.

Students wishing to pursue a four-year BS program must also have a 2.0 CGPA in the AD program for admission to the fifth semester of the university, while the two-year AD program also requires an internship of 3 credit hours similar to the BS program. has been made mandatory.

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The subject of entrepreneurship has also been made compulsory in general education in all disciplines of the associate degree and BS program, while in the four-year BS program, its credit hours have gone up to 168, facilitating dual specialization (double major) for the first time. However, associate degree credit hours are set at 60 to 72 and normal BS program (single major) credit hours are set at 120 to 144.

In the undergraduate policy, the compulsory General Education subjects will be of 30 credit hours only and these subjects must be completed in the first 4 semesters in BS on the Associate Degree model.
As per the approved MPhil/PhD policy with major changes, the passing marks of the test at MPhil level and 70% at PhD level have been raised to 60% if the entrance test is conducted by the respective university itself.

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Similarly, if a student wants to pursue PhD under interdisciplinary qualification, he/she has to clear the entrance test with 70% marks along with other requirements.

It is being told that Dr. Attaur Rahman has opposed outsourcing the test and conducting it from any other institution instead of the university. The passing marks of 50 per cent for entrance test at level and 60 per cent for Ph.D.

Apart from this, in the interim approved M.Phil/PhD policy, a new comprehensive exam has also been introduced at the time of thesis submission, which was not there before, for every student who completes course work and research work. It will be mandatory.

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When “Express” contacted Chairman HEC Professor Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed in this regard, he confirmed the approval of both the policies and said that “MPhil/PhD policy has been approved provisionally at present.” And the commission has empowered him to make the suggestions of former chairman HEC and current member of the commission Dr. Attaur Rehman part of the policy.

He clarified that in the proposed policy, the publication of two research articles was necessary before admission to PhD, but now this condition has been removed. That no more PhD degrees will be distributed in universities, but there will be actual research and instead of piling up PhDs, the way will be paved for quality research.

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It should be noted that in the interim approved M.Phil/Ph.D. policy, there was a condition of not admitting to Ph.D. until the M.P.H. A major proposal has also come up with interim admissions and it has been said that MPhil leading to PhD should be allowed as this facility is available to students in the form of quality research in most countries of the world.

It should be noted that in the past HEC had banned this facility in the year 2016 and the verification of such PhD credentials was stopped from 2017. It can be made part of the policy.

Also, the coursework of 24 credit hours in MPhil can be extended to 30 credit hours in 3 semesters, after which research work will not be mandatory, in which case the student can complete MPhil in one and a half years only.

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According to the policy, open defense will be mandatory after the submission of competition in PhD, instead of sending more good theses abroad, it was suggested to be evaluated by a local scholar, however, this proposal was opposed by Dr. Attaur Rehman. It was done and it was said that the theses of science subjects should be sent to foreign professors only.

In addition, one proposal said that without the permission of the student, the research supervisor cannot use his research work, however, in opposition to this proposal, it was said that it is the shared property of the student and the supervisor.

On the other hand, according to Javed Akram, the officer of Quality Enhancement Cell of University of Karachi, in the meeting held at the office of Regional Director HEC, Karachi University had presented its recommendations on the undergraduate policy in which points were added regarding the convenience of students and the quality of education. which was agreed in principle to be included in the policy.

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Also, practical learning lab (sports, youth club and intern internship) has been removed from the approved undergraduate policy and 3 credit hours of internship has been made mandatory in associate degree and BS program in the name of field experience. .

It has been warned to run the associate degree on the semester system, it should be noted that the associate degree in the government colleges affiliated to the government universities of Sindh is currently running on the old syllabus under the annual examination system.