KARACHI – In a significant policy shift, the Chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan, Professor Dr. Niaz Ahmad Akhtar, announced that MS and PhD programs in the medical field will now be offered and regulated by the HEC instead of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC). He made these remarks as the Chief Guest during a scholarship distribution and certificate award ceremony held at Karachi Metropolitan University (KMU). The event was attended by a large number of students, faculty members, parents, alumni, and distinguished guests.
Dr. Niaz Ahmad clarified that the mandate for higher research degrees in medicine has transitioned to the HEC to ensure academic standardization. He also revealed that the HEC has established its own local data hosting facility for universities, allowing institutions to host their data on a national platform instead of relying on international services like Amazon. Discussing the current academic landscape, he noted that approximately 4 million students are enrolled in Pakistani universities, with an enrollment rate of 20%.
The Chairman expressed concern over the high cost of medical education and the massive fee variations across the country, noting that annual fees range from PKR 100,000 to as high as PKR 1.2 million. He also pointed out the significant employment challenges within general education. During the ceremony, certificates were awarded to high-achieving students, and it was highlighted that the KMU Alumni Association provided scholarships to 46 students, contributing to a total scholarship fund of approximately PKR 5 million distributed by the university.
“A student’s true identity should be their ethics and character,” the Chairman emphasized while encouraging the youth to focus on moral development. Talking to the media after the event, Dr. Niaz Ahmad addressed administrative concerns, stating that he would investigate the matter of the HEC Executive Director holding dual charges upon his return to Islamabad. He confirmed that the ED is being paid under the MP-1 scale but explicitly denied the approval of a rumored PKR 2.3 million salary package.
