FAISALABAD: Pakistan Engineering Council has refused to accredit BSc electrical (telecommunication engineering) programme of Government College University Faisalabad (GCUF) owing to certain reasons.

The accreditation has been refused following the visit of PEC officials on May 9 and 10 last.

BSc electrical (telecommunication engineering) is a four-year degree programme.

The PEC decision reads, “Based on the weak areas and serious deficiencies in visit report, the program Intake Batch 2012 is not recommended to be accredited.”

Identifies weak areas and deficiencies

The university has been advised to hire at least two PhDs qualified faculty members, establish a computer laboratory in addition to required equipment in electrical machines and Computer Communication and Network (CCN) labs. The university has also been directed to set up a proper examination section with dedicated staff and equipment in the electrical engineering department.

Besides, the university has been asked to address all weak areas mentioned in the visit report prior to applying for the subsequent visit.

Sources said the decision would put the future of almost 100 students at stake and they would not be able to have any engineering job without the PEC affiliation.

Requesting anonymity, some students told Dawn that their seniors in session 2004-08, a pioneer batch of the university, had also been protesting for accreditation. They said degrees of the 2012 batch would remain invalid till accreditation.

In 2009 and 2010, students in two sessions 2004-08 and 2005-09 had been protesting to press the university administration for fulfilling the PEC requirements.

University sources said all issues raised by the PEC would be resolved within months and then fresh application for accreditation would be submitted. They said future of students would not be compromised at any cost.

This correspondent contacted Vice Chancellor Dr Mohammad Ali to get his version of why the university failed to fulfil the requirements and when issues raised by the PEC would be addressed; however, he did not turn up for reply.

Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2016