LAHORE: The Punjab Higher Education Department (HED) has taken notice of illegal sub-campuses operated by several private universities and directed these varsities to immediately stop the intake of student at the unauthorised campuses.

According to two letters written to the chairmen of the board of governors of the private universities and rectors/heads, the department listed the illegal sub-campuses and directed them to stop the intake of students.

The private universities operating illegal sub-campuses are the University of Management and Technology (UMT), Lahore; the National College of Business Administration and Economics (NCBA&E), Lahore; the Hajvery University, Lahore; the Qarshi University, Muridkye; the University of Central Punjab (UCP), Lahore; and the Superior College, Lahore.

According to the HED, the UMT was operating an illegal sub-campus in Sialkot in violation of Section 5(2) of the University of Management & Technology Act 2004 and the department under Second Schedule of the Punjab Government Rules of Business, 2011 asked the varsity to stop the intake of students at the illegal sub-campus.

Similarly, the NCBA&E was found to be operating illegal sub-campuses in Bahawalpur, Gujrat, Sialkot and Rahim Yar Khan; the Hajvery University in Sheikhupura; the Qarshi University operating two illegal sub-campuses in Lahore; the UCP in Bahawalpur, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Multan, Sialkot, Rawalpindi, Gujrat and Sargodha; and the Superior College in Faisalabad, Sargodha, Khanpur and Bahawalpur.

The HED, in the letters, said the aforementioned universities were operating the sub-campuses in violation of their Acts.

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2020