HEC unveils new policy for graduate programme admissions

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has made significant changes in the admission system of universities across the country by issuing a new policy for admissions to graduate programmes.

According to the policy, all universities have been barred from conducting separate entrance tests, while graduation records and examinations have been made mandatory for MPhil and PhD admissions.

The higher education regulator stated that Level 7 and 8 admissions in public and private universities will now be subject to the Education Testing Council (ETC) test, and universities will not be allowed to conduct their own separate entrance tests in lieu of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).

Under the revised policy, a uniform and transparent testing system has been implemented for MS, MPhil and PhD programmes to ensure merit in admissions.

In this regard, some provisions of the Graduate Education Policy 2023 have also been abolished with immediate effect.

The commission has directed all universities to ensure immediate and complete implementation of the new policy.