News Detail

 Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training on Thursday disposed of the matter regarding the issue of placement of Educational Institutions situated in the Islamabad Capital Territory under the administrative control of Municipal Corporation, Islamabad as stands resolved with the assurance for incorporating the amendments proposed by the stakeholders and fully being adopted in letter and Spirit

The Higher Education Commission informed the Senate Standing Committee that scholarships will be granted under schedule II for the year 2022-23 for students of erstwhile FATA and Baluchistan

Irfan-ul-Haque Siddiqui recommended extending the closure of portal up to March 10th in the interest of the students from deprivation of administration for the coming year

Bills titled “The Pak University of Engineering and Emerging Technology University Bill, 2022” and the Bill titled “The Right to free and Compulsory Education Amendment Bill, 2022” were deferred due to the absence of the Minister

Press release

(Islamabad 17th February 2022): Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training on Thursday met under the Chairmanship of Senator Irfan-ul-Haq Siqqidui here at the Parliament House.

The Chairman Committee lauded the efforts of the Higher Education Commission along with the Ministry to resolve the matter of administrative control of Municipal Corporation, Islamabad in a supportive manner. The Chairman Committee reiterated that matter should be followed up time to time and the concerns can be brought back into the committee for deliberation.

On the matter of Provision of Higher Education opportunities for students of erstwhile FATA and Baluchistan the committee unanimously recommended to extend the closure of the Portal date. “Around 20000 to 25000 students have been deprived of admission due to the portal closure date” lamented Irfan-ul –Haque Siddiqui strongly recommending extending the date for the closure of Portal. It was also recommended by the committee that the issue of the provision of the scholarships to the students at provincial level should be resolved on a permanent basis by holding joint meetings with the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) in accordance with the committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, the Planning Commission, and the Higher Education Commission, with the recommendation for the representation of the Provincial Government as well.  The Chairman Committee also sought brief by the HEC to devise a mechanism for the resolution of the grant of scholarships at provincial level.

The committee also noted that the students of MDCAT who were unable to be accommodated last year due to the delay in the identification of seats by the HEC are not allowed to get admission for the coming year as the criteria of admission has been changed from 60pc to 65pc is unfair and unjust with the students. “The HEC changes criteria every year, it is unjust that the present seats as well as seats from last year remain unfilled due to perfunctory changes in the criteria”, stated senator Irfan siddique recommending that the students from last year should be accommodated according to the criteria from last year. The committee recommended allowing availing the 36 seats for the students who fulfilled the apt criteria from previous year apart from the 265 seats allocated for the new academic year.

The Bills were deferred with serious concern over the absence of the Minister. "The prerogative of the Minister is essential over the Bill of utter importance and cannot be ignored” stated Chairman Committee while deferring the Bills for the next meeting.

The meeting was attended by the Deputy Chairman Mirza Muhammad Afridi, Senators Fawzia Arshad, Jam Mahtab Hussnain Dahar, Engr. Rukhsana Zuberi, Rana Maqbool Ahmad, Mustaq Ahmad and Senator Sardar Muhammad Shafiq. Senior Officials from the Ministry and its attached departments were also in attendance.

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