The Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan has stopped four universities from admitting students in any degree programme, owing to academic irregularities and mismanagement and after non-compliance despite constant reminders from HEC to fulfill the deficiencies.

These institutions include Preston Institute of Management Sciences and Technology (PIMSAT) Karachi, Imperial College of Business Studies Lahore, Global Institute Lahore, and Al-Khair University AJK.

In addition to main campuses, their sub-campuses, branches or affiliated colleges are also not allowed to admit students at any level in any programme.

Complying with directive of the Prime Minister, HEC Review Panels visited universities in 2016 across the country for review of quality assurance and governance practices. Universities whose report was not satisfactory were asked to fulfill the deficiencies, however these institutions have still not complied despite reminders and, therefore, have been asked to stop admitting students in all of their academic programmes.

It is worth-mentioning that HEC regularly issues parent and student alerts in national and regional newspapers as well as through social media, warning the public to check from HEC website the list of recognized institutions as well as accredited programmes. The students are continuously warned that HEC will not attest degrees or certificates obtained from such universities or institutes claiming their affiliation.

HEC has posted lists of recognised as well as non-recognised higher education institutions on its websites wherefrom parents and students can check the status of an institution they consider for admission. The list may be accessed through hec.gov.pk/site/HEIs.

Besides, HEC website also has a list of Accreditation Councils which are responsible for accreditation of respective degree programmes. These include Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), Pakistan Council for Architects and Town Planners (PCATP), Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC), Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC), Pakistan Nursing Council (PNC), Pakistan Pharmacy Council (PCP), Pakistan Veterinary Medical Council (PVMC), National Council for Homoeopathy (NCH), National Council for Tibb (NCT), National Accreditation Council for Teachers Education (NACTE), National Agricultural Education Accreditation Council (NAEAC), National Computing Education Accreditation Council (NCEAC), and National Business Education Accreditation Council (NBEAC).

Parents and students can check accreditation status of various academic programmes of different institutions to ensure that the specific programme they are interested in is an approved progamme.

HEC is also developing the Pakistan Qualification Register (PQR), which is an online database containing list of approved degree programmes of HEC recognized public and private sector universities including their sub campuses and affiliated as well as constituent colleges.

PQR is aimed to provide clearly deﬁned levels of knowledge, skills and competencies to be acquired by every graduate. The Register is being linked to various HEC programmes and initiatives including attestation of degrees, local and overseas scholarships, appointment of HEC approved supervisors, award of national research grants, thematic research grants for social sciences, etc.

Though majority of universities have provided the information, however some universities whose response is slow are being advised to enter their degree programmes in PQR at the earliest so as to streamline above-mentioned processes.