Higher Education Commission To Introduce New Policy For Ph.D. Admissions

The higher education commission has announced to introduce the new policy for Ph.D. admissions. For the first time in history, the students will be able to secure admission in Ph.D. after the completion of the four year BS (Hons.) Generally, the students can enroll in Ph.D. after M.Phil but now the commission has drafted the new policy. Moreover, the students will be able to pursue a Ph.D. degree in another discipline. Many universities have raised concerns in context to the introduction of the new policy and they are devising the future course of action. 

The policy has also removed the need for the foreign assessment of the Ph.D. thesis as previously it was compulsory for the Ph.D. students to get their thesis approved by foreign experts. The students can now evaluate their thesis from the Pakistani experts and the maximum duration for the completion of the Ph.D. degree will be eight years and a minimum of 3 years. According to the HEC officials, this policy will require the students to least spend two years in the home country while doing a Ph.D. But still, the official notification has not been issued by the commission.

Besides the abolishment of the MS/ MPhil degree leading to a Ph.D. program, the students will be allowed to get the MS/M.Phil degree depending upon the completion of the credit hours. As per the new policy, a student of Ph.D. has to complete the course of 48 credit hours, and in case if the student has completed the MS/M.Phil in the same discipline then the university will reduce 50% of a required credit hour for such a candidate. Due to the implication of the new policy all the previously announced policies will be considered invalid. The vice-chancellor of NED University has appreciated this step of HEC and said that all over the world the people pursue a Ph.D. after a bachelor’s degree. Moreover, the officials of the University of Karachi also highlighted the importance of research.