KARACHI, Sept 28: The NED University of Engineering and Technology is introducing two engineering degrees in materials and metallurgical (MM) and chemical engineering from the new academic session 2006-07, commencing in January.

A senior official of the varsity said that it had been approved by the appropriate body of the university to offer 70 seats each at the two new departments of materials and metallurgical engineering and chemical engineering for award of a bachelor’s degree.

Masters degree programmes in the two departments would also be offered in due course of time, the official added.

The process of admission to different departments, including the two new in question, will begin on October 2, with the sale of forms and prospectus, while teaching for the new session is scheduled to be held from January 3.

The university has increased the seats for admission on open merit to first year engineering classes from 1,072 to 1,306, which included 136 seats of the materials and metallurgical and chemical engineering departments, .

When contacted by Dawn, the registrar of the NED university, Javed Aziz Khan, said that the increase in seats were being made in line with the directives of the Higher Education Commission, Pakistan which wanted doubling of the existing NED enrolment by 2010.

He said that as many as 188 seats had been allocated under the self finance programme for the new session.

Those allowed admissions under self finance will initially have to pay Rs0.3 million each, in addition to regular tuition fees of the university, he informed.

Replying to a question he said that there would be a slight increase in the tuition fees of the students admitted under regular schemes based on open merit this year. So far the university has received about 6,500 applications from students desiring to take the pre-admission test of the university, which is scheduled to be held on October 1, he informed.

Giving details of seats distribution for admission 2006-07, the chairman of the admission committee, Dr Mahmood K Pathan said that 1,494 seats would be offered for admissions to 17 engineering programmes.

A total of 28 seats have been reserved for A-levels pre-engineering and pre-medical students, he added.

The allocations of regular seats at different departments are as follows:

Civil 165, Urban 37, Petroleum 30, Mechanical 127, Textile 60, Industrial 106, Automotive 46, Chemical 68, Electrical 110, Telecommunications 55, Computer and Information System 112, Electronics 112, Bio 31, Medical 31, Materials and Metallurgical 68, Computer Science and Information Technology 108, Architecture 40.