Sindh Announces To Continue Two-Year Degree Programs Across Province

Sindh government has announced to continue the two-year bachelor's and master’s degree programs across the province. The adviser universities and boards have stated that the provincial government has agreed upon the continuation of the BA/BSc and MA/MSc programs and the four-year graduation policy declared by the higher education commission will not be accepted. He said that abolishment of the two-year degree programs is an attack on provincial sovereignty. However, Sindh has decided to stand against this decision as it will also affect the students on a wide scale. 

According to the 18th amendment in the constitution, education is a provincial subject and each province holds the authoritative power to make the decision regarding education matters. On the basis of the amendment the Sindh higher education commission was established and the province will reject the federal HEC policies that will challenge their autonomy. Earlier the Sindh universities amendment act was passed in 2018 by the Sindh assembly according to which the universities can function as per their own rules. It has been stated that by the implementation of the abolishment of the two-year degree programs HEC is interfering by violating the autonomy of the universities and colleges of Pakistan. The commission has also changed the criteria for Ph.D. admissions and now the students can enroll in the doctoral program after the under graduation. 

Moreover, the Sindh government has clarified that the degree issued by the educational institutes of Sindh will be verified only by the Sindh institutions. Previously the higher education commission of Pakistan had announced the abolishment of two-year BA/BSc and MA/MSc degree programs and directed the universities to stop offering admissions in such programs. A notification was also issued in this regard that stated that the degrees issued by 2018 will not be recognized by the commission so the students are advised to not enroll in two-year bachelor's and master's programs as they will waste their time. The Sindh officials have said that the provincial government is against the establishment of federal HEC and no one is allowed to control the province’s sovereignty.