THE year 2020 saw things that had never happened before. Although it remained cataclysmic for students because of the sudden closure of educational institutions owing to Covid-19, it could not stop the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to roll out changes in the policies of different degree programmes, particularly the two-year bachelor’s degree.

Many universities across the country have registered students for the admission to two-year BA degree programmes after charging a hefty sum of money. But the sudden abolishment of the two-year bachelor’s degree programme by the HEC has shattered the dreams of many students who wanted to appear in competitive examinations. If the HEC wanted to do it anyway, it could have done so before the universities published advertisements for the two-year degree programmes.

Such callous attitude on the part of the HEC has left the universities wondering whether they should take the students on board or not. In this era of cut-throat competition, the HEC should make an exception for students who got themselves registered in 2020 for the programme and withdraw its decision in students’ interest.

Saifal Iqbal
Lahore

Published in Dawn, January 10th, 2021