LAHORE, July 26: The University of Engineering and Technology has scrapped the self-finance scheme from the current academic session and converted all 260 seats into open merit seats.

Admissions to undergraduate classes have been started at the UET with the holding of the entrance test. After doing away with the self-finance scheme, the university has this year decided to offer 80 per cent merit seats at subsidized rates and 20 per cent seats at non-subsidized rates, which are already permissible to overseas Pakistanis and foreigners.

It is learnt that the fee for subsidized seats will be Rs500 per month, while students admitted to undergraduate classes on non-subsidized seats will be required to pay Rs5,000 per month.

After the determination of merit on the basis of FSc and entrance test marks, students will be free to decide whether to take admissions on the last 20 per cent non-subsidized merit seats in a department or secure admission on the top 80 per cent subsidized merit seats in the next low merit department.

It may be mentioned that the university used to charge Rs150,000 at the time of admission from a student admitted on a self-finance basis besides two annual instalments of Rs75,000.

Under the plan of increasing 800 undergraduate classes seats in the next four years, the UET has this year decided to admit 200 extra students enhancing total enrolment at 1,000. Last year, the university had admitted 187 extra students on a one-time basis only.

Similarly, the UET will offer 298 extra seats in its MSc programmes enhancing students' enrolment to 1,414. In PhD programme, the university has increased seats from last year's 33 to 136 this year. The 136 PhD scholars include 95 scholarship holders from the Higher Education Commission.

The university has also reorganized its computer science and engineering department and recruited six PhD teachers to impart education to students studying BSc computer science and engineering programme.

In order to run this programme, the university is following the Indian Institute of Technology that helps students to learn computers' hardware as well as softwares.

It is learnt that the UET is holding its 22nd Senate meeting on July 29 to get its annual budget for the year 2004-05 approved formally. The UET's Rs16.6 million deficit budget has already been approved by the university syndicate.

The university has estimated Rs452.9 million receipts and Rs469.6 million expenditure. The university authorities, however, claim that the deficit would be met with Rs12 million from the HEC grant.

During the Senate meeting to be chaired by Punjab Governor/Chancellor Khalid Maqbool, UET vice-chancellor Muhammad Akram will present an annual report and highlight its achievements during the last one year.

It is learnt that the VC is planning to demand a land at Kala Shah Kaku, Faisalabad and Sialkot to establish its sub-campuses in the shape of constituent engineering colleges. The VC will also explain the implementation of the Tenure Track System in the university.