Investigation has disclosed that University of Karachi (KU) is running an Information Technology (IT) programme and awarding certificates in 65 IT related subjects, when in reality the mentioned programme has no legal status.
According to details, KU was running an IT programme since the last many years and was awarding certificates in 65 IT subjects without approval of syllabi from its academic council. Interestingly, the IT programme was going on without any faculty. Surprisingly, no faculty member was ready to own the programme.
However, the passing out candidates have been awarded with a KU degree despite the fact that the finances of the programme were being managed through a private account and the revenue generated through it was also put into a private account.
Although, the KU academic council in one of its session had granted permission for launch of an IT programme, but the design of the programme and the syllabi, which was supposed to be taught, was not approved by the council.
Per KU law, if a new programme was introduced in the varsity, then it should first be approved from the faculty concerned. The faculty examined the structure of the programme, course design, teaching and non-teaching staff and expenditure. If the faculty approved the new programme, then it was taken to academic council for approval. After approval from the academic council, the new programme was ready to be implemented.
In case of IT programme, the Department of Mathematics had inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a private firm for launch the project. Per understanding, the private firm had to provide teaching faculty and technical support for running the programme successfully.
The IT centre was established in a small room which was located on the 3rd floor of the Department of Mathematics. There were 25 computers and the programme started in the evening shift. Some classes of the programme were also held in Dr Yaseen Malik’s Professional Development Centre.
On investigation, it was revealed that the varsity teachers have been hired at heavy remuneration to run this programme. Only few experts were hired from outside the varsity for assistance in case of any difficulty.
Furthermore, the varsity set a high fee for IT-related diploma programmes, but interestingly, the fee of the students was not submitted in KU account. The fee was submitted in a private bank account, and the passing out students had received authentic degrees from the varsity.
Prof Dr Nustrat Jamil, the then Faculty of Science Dean, took this matter with KU vice chancellor (VC) but the VC kept his lips tight on this issue.
“The IT programme was started by KU ex-Pro Vice Chancellor (PVC) Prof Dr Nasiruddin Khan,” KU Faculty of Science Dean Prof Dr Shahana Urooj Kazmi said. “PVC took permission to start the programme from the academic council, but I have no idea whether the course taught in the IT programme was approved by the varsity council or not,” she added.
“Although, the PVC has set IT programme in the Department of Mathematics from where he belongs but the programme was not functioning under the Faculty of Science,” she maintained. “Awarding diploma in IT is mandate of a technical board and the varsity like KU should not launch such programme as it is a higher education institute,” she argued.
KU VC Prof Dr Muhammad Qaiser, when approached for comments, said that the IT programme did not start under his authority. “The programme was started in the time of former VC Prof Dr Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui by PVC Prof Dr Nasiruddin Khan,” KU VC defended, claiming that, “I have no idea whether the varsity’s academic council has approved the syllabi of the certificate programme or not.”
“Give me one-day’s time to investigate this issue, after which I will be in a position to respond to your queries,” the VC said. But after the passage of two days, the VC was not responding to the phone calls made by this scribe.
KU IT programme is ‘illegal’ and ‘flawed’
