The Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan has issued a notification directing all affiliated colleges and universities to immediately halt new admissions in Associate Degree Programmes (ADPs) offered via the traditional annual examination system and private-candidate mode.
The directive enforces the HEC’s Undergraduate Education Policy. The traditional two-year BA/BSc degrees were phased out in favour of the Associate Degree Programme, designed as a market-oriented, semester-based curriculum.
According to the commission, several institutions simply rebranded their old BA/BSc structures as “associate degrees” without implementing the mandated academic overhaul. These programmes were being offered as private-candidate registrations relying purely on an annual examination system, bypassing the required semester structure, skill-based curricula and internal continuous assessments.
Universities have been directed to submit consolidated enrolment data of currently studying students, verified by the Registrar, Controller of Examinations and Vice Chancellor. All future ADPs must follow the official semester-based undergraduate policy.
The announcement has caused anxiety among thousands of private candidates, working professionals and remote learners who depend on flexible study options. Student bodies have voiced concern that closing the private route removes a vital educational lifeline for underprivileged segments of society.
Higher education analysts say universities must introduce affordable online or blended alternatives to prevent a sharp decline in enrolment among mature students. Institutional registrars are reportedly reviewing transitional guidelines for students already enrolled, though new enrolments are strictly prohibited.
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