KARACHI, Feb 8: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has requested the vice- chancellors of the public and private sector varsities to take steps against plagiarism in PhD thesis or in research papers published by their students or faculty.

In a letter sent to the VCs of the public and private sector varsities in the country, HEC Chairman Dr Attaur Rahman said that detailed policy guidelines on plagiarism had been issued as a number of incidents of plagiarism were reported and bought into the attention of the HEC, on which strict action was taken.

A faculty member of the International Islamic University had to resign because of one such incident, it said adding that the HEC has decided that it will have zero tolerance level to any act of plagiarism indulged in by students or faculty members.

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has therefore requested the vice-chancellors to take strict action against any faculty member or student indulging in this illegal practice.

Meanwhile, the HEC chairman taking notice about granting of grace marks to the students from some of the varsities, has requested the vice-chancellors and rectors of the varsities to obey the Supreme Courts decision in this regard.

He said that the King Edward Medical University Lahore had been giving additional weightage to those students who had certain religious proficiencies in the process of admission.

Such discrimination violates the basic principles of merit; he said adding that it has been the policy of the government to give admissions without any discrimination on the basis of colour, race or religion.

Prof Atta quoted the decision of the Supreme Court stating that “The practice of grace marks should be discontinued” and said the Supreme Court termed the culture of seeking and granting grace marks a clear violation of the principles of good governance which would promote substandard education.—PPI