HEC meeting takes place without Punjab VCs: report

LAHORE: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) meeting in Lahore took place with over 50 Vice-Chancellors (VCs) in attendance except for the VCs of public universities in Punjab, according to a report by a private media outlet.

At the 21st Vice-Chancellors Committee Meeting held in Lahore on Thursday, VCs from Punjab were absent as the provincial governments had barred them from participating in the conference. Sindh government had also initially stopped their VCs from attending the conference, however, the decision was later reversed.

Earlier, the Punjab Higher Education Department (HED), in this regard, had sent a letter to all vice-chancellors of public sector universities of the province.

The letter read: “It is informed that the issue of determination of role of Federal Higher Education Commission, Provincial Higher Education Commissions/provincial governments pertaining to higher education in the aftermath of 18th Amendment in the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is under discussion in the Council of Common Interest (CCI), wherein the Punjab government has furnished its views/comments after approval from the Punjab chief minister.”