ALERT: HEC halts admissions to university in Karachi

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) on Tuesday announced that it would not recognise degrees of students enrolled at Metropolitan University, Karachi after August 5, 2022.

Furthermore, in a statement, the commission said that admissions to the university had been halted due to gross violations of and non-adherence to the body's guidelines.

"The Metropolitan University, Karachi is chartered by the Government of Sindh in the private sector and recognised by Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan.

The university was allowed to offer undergraduate degree programmes (ie, BBA, BS-Commerce, BS-Education, and BS-Islamic Studies) with 40 seats per semester only through its principal seat located at Sector 34-A, KDA Scheme # 33, Main University Road, Malir Cantt, Karachi," the statement read.

The HEC further said that the body would recognise/attest the degrees of students enrolled only in the above-mentioned degree programmes.

This will be done as per data shared by the university "in line with HEC directions/guidelines and subject to the fulfilment of all legal/codal formalities".

However, the statement said that due to "gross violations, operating through unauthorised campuses/study centers and non-adherence of HEC guidelines", the admissions of Metropolitan University have been stopped by the commission with effect from August 5, 2022.

According to the statement, unauthorised campuses of the university are located at Sukkur, Larkana, Quetta, Rawalakot, Islamabad, and Chakwal.

"Students and the public at large are hereby advised not to take admission in Metropolitan University, Karachi," the statement said, adding, "degrees of students enrolled in Metropolitan University, Karachi after the cutoff date shall not be recognised by HEC".

Earlier, in February 2023, HEC also halted admissions to Isra University from Fall 2022.

The body said that admissions would remain suspended till the resolution of the ongoing crisis — without mentioning what the crisis was.

The HEC has recurrently advised students to seek admission to only those universities that are recognised by HEC.