KARACHI, April 10: The principal of Dawood College of Engineering and Technology (DCET), Professor Dr Mohammad Nasim, on Tuesday said that he would take necessary steps to help save the future of 142 engineering students of the past batches of his college.

He said that in order to save the future of the 142 students affected by the decision of the NED University of Engineering and Technology, they would be provided with a chance by holding a special examination of failed papers for them soon, after the award of degree-awarding status to the DCET by the Higher Education Commission (HEC), which was expected this month.

The DCET principal said that the innocent students of the batches 91-96 of the college were being punished due to a past tussle between officials of the DECT and NED University of Engineering and Technology.

He said that the HEC and Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) also wanted to save the future of these students but it was only the NED varsity which was reluctant to conduct examination of these students.

Prof Naseem said that all these students would hear good news this month. The PEC and HEC have assured to extend their cooperation with the DCET for the resolution of this lingering issue, he added. The principal said that the HEC and the PEC were fully satisfied with the academic atmosphere of the college because all laboratories, computer department and other infrastructure had been developed at par with the international standards.

He said that Rs200million funds provided by the HEC had been spent on laboratories of the college, which had brought a revolutionary change in the college.

The principal said that Karachi being one of largest cities of the world, needed more engineering varsities and the DCET deserved to become one.

The college provides 548 admissions annually in five departments: Electronics, Chemical, Industrial Engineering, Metallurgy and Architecture and creates a cream of engineers every year that get jobs in various public and private sector organisations, he said.

He said that presently DCET was affiliated with the Mehran University of Engineering and Technology Karachi, which was conducting the examinations of the college in an excellent manner and all the matters were running amicably. He said that efforts were also being made to maintain cordial relations with the NED University.

It may be noted that future of 142 DCET engineering students of the past batches is at stake as the NED University has refused to conduct examination of various batches of the college, including the 1995-96 batch.—PPI