July 30, 2007	Monday	Rajab 14, 1428

ISLAMABAD, July 29: Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) has approved 2000 scholarships for the Balochistan and Fata in higher disciplines which would cost Rs862 million.

The official sources said the project was initiated on the directions of the President which would provide access to 2000 students (1300 undergraduate—4-year BS programme and 700 postgraduate-MSc 15 to 16 years of education) from Balochistan and Fata to quality education system.

The sources said that these scholarships would be distributed at a ratio of 60:40 among students of Balochistan and Fata with coordination of HEC, Department of Education Balochistan, Federally Administered Area (FAA) directorate of education Peshawar.

The sources said that within Balochistan and Fata, the scholarships would be distributed on the basis of prevailing quota system among various districts, frontier regions and agencies.

To implement the project, three Project Management Units (PMUs) would be established one each at Education Departments of Balochistan Quetta, FAA Directorate of Education, Peshawar and at HEC headquarter Islamabad.

The financial provision for the three PMUs has been made in the current PCIs. The PMUs in Quetta and Peshawar will coordinate the activities of this project in coordination with the departments concerned.

The sources said that these units would focus on following activities as the PMUs at Quetta and Peshawar would develop the criteria for the selection of candidates for the scholarships in coordination with the departments concerned.

While developing the criteria, due weightage will be given to the indigenous students.

PMUs at Quetta and Peshawar would invite applications from the potential candidates through advertisement.—APP