Lahore: The new admission criteria introduced by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) for admissions to PhD programmes being offered in numerous universities of Pakistan have left the scholars scratching their heads.
As per the new rules/policy, it has become necessary for the scholars of MS or MPhil to select the research work of 6 credit hours for getting admission in PhD programmes.
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"For the grant of MPhil/MS or equivalent degree, the applicants will either require to complete the 30 credit hours of course work or complete 24 credit hours of course work together with the minimum of 6 credit hours for research work or thesis.
6 credit hours of research are compulsory for MPhil.
Though, the release might be allowed just for the MS programmes in those disciplines where research is not possible.
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(This release from research can just be for non-science subjects or disciplines).
The head of department might permit the aspirant to do course work of 6 credit hours in lieu of 6 credit hours of research.
Though, this release can just be permitted if an aspirant wishes to terminate his or her course and doesn't wish to continue their studies in PhD programmes."
In the past, MS was considered equal to the MPhil programme. Besides, the Higher Education Commission had also mentioned that the aspirants not selecting the research work in MS programmes will not be able to continue their studies in PhD programmes.
It is also important to mention here that Higher Education Commission has neither exposed the new admission policy nor inform the aspirants.
Large numbers of candidates are still unknown to the new criteria for the admissions to PhD programmes.
Recently, a student was denied admission to a PhD programme in the government sector university. While talking to the media sources on secrecy basis, she said that she was uninformed about the new rules for admission to the PhD programmes.
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"I come to know about it when I applied for admission to PhD in a university after the successful completion of my MS programme, I was denied admission during the interview after the written test," she added.
She quoted the members of the admission committee, who interviewed her, as saying that she will have to reappear in an MPhil programme if she wants to continue her studies.
The representatives of Higher Education Commission were not available for the comments in spite of the multiple attempts.
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