PESHAWAR, Dec 5: The NWFP government has decided to give the option to the students of Institute of Management Sciences to continue their studies at the autonomous institution or to transfer to the Institute of Management Studies, a constituent of the Peshawar University (PU).

To resolve the issue, the government has decided that all students of the autonomous institute can exercise this right except those who have been recently admitted through entry tests conducted separately for the two institutions.

The decisions pertaining to the issue were announced by NWFP Education Minister Syed Imtiaz Hussain Gilani before the students at the Aga Khan Auditorium at the university on Wednesday.

Peshawar University Vice-Chancellor Dr Zulfiqar Gilani and Registrar Mohammad Ajmal Khan also talked to the students.

The minister clarified that the Institute of Management Studies, a constituent of the university, and the Institute of Management Sciences, an autonomous institute affiliated with the university and run by the recently reconstituted board of governors presided over by the governor, were separate legal entities.

He said both the institutes belonged to the province and the governor had intervened in view of the concern of the parents and the students.

He said the students who opted for the Institute of Management Studies would be eligible for the refund of fees on pro rata basis after deduction of the fees for the days they have attended the institute.

The autonomous institute shall have to ensure that no hardship is caused to the students in withdrawal of their fees, he said and added that the university authorities would have to make arrangements  for taking in all the students who opt to continue their studies with its constituent institute.

He said the students who opted for the Institute of Management Studies shall have all the rights and privileges available to other students of the university while those who opted for the Institute of Management Sciences shall have to vacate the university hostels.

The said the autonomous institute  shall have to make separate arrangements for the accommodation of its students.

The VC Dr Zulfiqar Gilani said the matters were inherited form the past.   He announced that forms for ascertaining their option shall be made available to the students and they should be returned by Dec 11.

The university academic council shall also approve the course of studies for the BSc Honours.

Registrar Mohammad Ajmal Khan said the graduates of both the institutes shall be awarded degrees by the university.

The Institute of Management Sciences is to vacate the university premises and shift to its own campuses.