The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has implemented a strict policy regarding the establishment of new universities and sub-campuses at the tehsil level, under which no new institution can be established without permission.
The HEC has issued a letter to the vice-chancellors and heads of all universities, making it clear that the establishment of any sub-campus or university will not be possible without the prior permission and scrutiny of the institution.
The letter stated that the commission will not provide NOC, accreditation or verification of degrees to any institution that has been established against the policy.
The letter also expressed serious concern over the lack of PhD faculty, low number of students and limited educational programmes in the tehsil-level campuses.
The education watchdog has immediately suspended all pending sub-campuses and their applications, while a complete ban has been imposed on admissions and advertising in these institutions.
It has been further stated that in case of violation of the policy, the approval of the campuses and programmes can also be cancelled, and all universities have been directed to strictly implement the new policy.
While tightening these regulatory controls, the HEC has also planned to launch a blockchain-based attestation system by June 30, developed alongside CMPak and Wibbow Technologies, The News reported.
This new platform allows students to submit and track degree verification requests online, replacing traditional manual processes with a secure digital framework.
By eliminating in-person visits and physical paperwork, the system offers faster processing and easier credential sharing for graduates worldwide.
