ISLAMABAD, July 5: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) on Friday announced ranking of public sector universities in the country.

According to the ranking based on the 2011-12 data provided by the institutions, the University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Science, Islamabad, Lahore University of Management Sciences (Lums), the Aga Khan University (AKU), Karachi, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad and the University of Faisalabad were placed on the top of the national list.

For the first time, some universities from the remote areas also managed to get into the top five positions in different categories. These are: Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Sukkur, the Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro, Gomal University D.I. Khan, University of Science and Technology, Bannu, and Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro.

In the agriculture/veterinary category, the top five universities are: University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, the University of Agriculture Peshawar and Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam.

In the engineering and technology category, the Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Science, Islamabad, University of Engineering and Technology Lahore, Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering and Technology, Swabi, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro, and Institute of Space Technology, Islamabad, were on top of the list.

In the business education, the Lahore University of Management Sciences (Lums), the Institute of Business Administration, Karachi, the Institute of Business Administration, Sukkur, and Shaheed Zulifikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology, Karachi, were on the top.

In the medical category, the Aga Khan University (AKU), was ranked at the top followed by the University of Health Sciences, Lahore, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, and King Edward Medical University, Lahore.

The general category has been divided into three sub-categories - large, medium and small. In the general universities (large), the National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, University of the Punjab, Lahore, University of Karachi, the Comsats Institute of Information Technology Islamabad and Government College University Faisalabad were placed on the top.

The top general universities (medium) included Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Government College University, Lahore, National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences, Islamabad, Fatima Jinnah Women University Rawalpindi and Gomal University, D.I Khan.

General universities (small): The top institutions are: University of Faisalabad, Beaconhouse National University, Lahore, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), Islamabad, University of Science and Technology, Bannu, Isra University, Hyderabad, and Foundation University, Islamabad.

Speaking to a press conference, HEC Chairperson Dr Javaid R. Laghari said the primary purpose of the ranking exercise was to drive the higher education institutions (HEIs) towards improved quality.

The ranking criteria for the universities revolve around three main parameters: implementation status of quality assurance criteria, teaching quality and research. The HEIs established after December 2008 and the distance education institutions like AIOU and Virtual University were excluded from the ranking list.

In reply to questions of the mediapersons, Mr Laghari said in general category universities having over 7,000 students were considered large, less than 7,000 students medium and universities having less that 3,000 students small.

He said there were different divisions of the HEC that verified the universities and awarded them marks for having facilities, PhD faculty members and research work. He said from the next year OIC will also adopt the criteria of HEC for ranking the universities of its member countries.