IT has been six months since I completed my degree from the Lahore Leads University (LLU). As I submitted my documents to get the transcript, the university rejected them by saying that I have to first get the documents verified by the Inter-Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC).

My documents were already verified by the Balochistan Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BBISE), but that was not enough for them. The Balochistan board had charged me Rs800 per document, which added up to Rs3,200. Now, to meet the university’s requirement, I went to the IBCC office in Quetta and they demanded the same fee. The total amount I paid for the verification of my documents was Rs6,400. If we include the other expenses related to transportation, room and food, I had to dish out Rs10,000 for nothing.

Is this not an injustice to the students, especially those who come from low-income families? These unnecessary and ridiculous charges clearly show that education is not meant for the poor.

The authorities should review their policies regarding degree verification and other matters so that students from poor families are not left behind merely because they are not able to afford the high cost of getting their official documents verified.

Rasheed Zehri
Khuzdar

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2022