Higher Education Commission (HEC) has planned to soon initiate online verification of degrees of students intending to visit abroad for further education. This was stated by Member Operations and Planning HEC Dr Mukhtar Ahmad.
The commission would verify degrees and certificates of students intending to get admissions abroad, in Pakistani universities or for getting jobs through online procedure, he said.
He admitted that the recent raise in degree and certificate attestation fee is causing financial burden on people coming from far flung areas. But the commission is compelled to increase attestation fee due to financial reasons, he said.
In 2002, he said there was no fee for attestation as it was not the requirement at that time.
Thousands of people were visiting the commission for attestation of their degrees even when they didn’t need it. Majority came at the last moment without proper documents creating hurdles for the staff.
Now after increase in charges, he said the staff would get genuine applicants who really need attestation.
Referring to the reasons of non-release of HEC funds, he said it is not only happening in HEC but in other organisations and institutions across the country due to prevailing financial crunch.
The recurring budget has been issued but the development budget is yet to be released by finance ministry. In the first quarter, HEC got 15 per cent of the total budget, 7.5 per cent in the second but the third phase has been delayed which has caused shortfall.
As many as 4,000 students studying abroad are unable to meet study expenditures due to delay in funds. Various institutes are facing such difficulties but the issue will be resolved soon, he said.
Source: http://www.propakistani.com/2009/01/25/hec-online-degree-verification-system-for-students/
