The Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan has reiterated its warning to students, parents, and educational stakeholders about the discontinuation of two-year Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BSc), Master of Arts (MA), and Master of Science (MSc) degree programs.
The HEC emphasized that these degrees are not equivalent to the four-year bachelor's degrees and Master of Science (MS) programs in terms of credit hours and market relevance.
The HEC has been phasing out these two-year programs since 2019, with an extended deadline set for June 30, 2022. Despite these clear deadlines, certain higher education institutions have continued to enroll students in these obsolete programs.
Consequently, the HEC has stated unequivocally that degrees awarded from these programs after the specified deadlines will not be recognized or attested by the commission.
In accordance with its ordinance, the HEC clarified that institutions offering these programs are not affiliated with the state educational system. This disaffiliation means that degrees from such programs are not considered valid by the statutory body responsible for higher education in Pakistan.
The HEC urged prospective students, parents, and stakeholders to refrain from enrolling in these discontinued programs, stressing the importance of verifying the recognition status of educational institutions before seeking admission.
The commission highlighted that obtaining degrees from unrecognized programs could severely impact students' academic and professional futures.
For a comprehensive list of HEC-recognized colleges and institutions, stakeholders are advised to visit the official HEC website.
