LAHORE, Oct 24: The Punjab University has identified 31 private educational institutions in its territorial jurisdiction which are not affiliated to it and under rules their working amounts to defrauding students which is a cognizable offence.

However, these institutions claim to have affiliation with some other universities in the country, an assertion not acceptable to the Punjab University.

The PU says that no educational institution located within PU territorial limits is entitled to seek affiliation with any other university without permission of the Punjab government and the approval of the Punjab University. The degrees issued by such institutions will enjoy no recognition.

The 31 identified private educational institutions, which did not get an NOC from the Punjab University, include seven medical, homoeopathy and pharmacy colleges.

The Punjab University, it is learnt, has started issuing notices to institutions for offering unrecognized degrees and playing a havoc with educational careers of thousands of students.

In the meantime, the Punjab University has written letters to 53 public and private sector universities and autonomous educational institutions authorized to grant affiliations to inform the Punjab University whether they had granted affiliation to any educational institution in the territorial jurisdiction of the Punjab University.

It is learnt that 43 institutions had responded to the Punjab University’s query while the 10 other institutions had again been given reminders.

A university spokesman said that there were many institutions being run without affiliation with any university.

Citing an example, he said that there were four institutions in Lahore which claimed to have affiliation with the University of Sindh, Jamshoro. However, the University of Sindh had communicated to the Punjab University that the University of Sindh had not given affiliation to any institute beyond its territorial jurisdiction especially in the Punjab.

The University of Sindh, however, told the Punjab University that it had given affiliation to the Bhutta Medical College, Faisalabad, but now the affiliation had been withdrawn.

The University of Sindh had also requested the Punjab University to initiate a legal action against such institutes. Acting upon the request, it is learnt, the Punjab University has submitted an application to the Garden Town police station against the Lahore School of Information Technology, University Road, New Campus, Lahore, to initiate a legal action. The three other institutions have, however, reportedly removed the boards making claims of having affiliation with the University of Sindh.

It may be mentioned that the Punjab University had also issued a public notice in daily newspapers that under section 5(2) of the University of Punjab Act, 1973, no educational institution located within PU territorial limits was entitled to seek affiliation with any other university without permission of the Punjab government and the approval of the Punjab University.

The notice said that educational institutions which did not get an NOC from the Punjab government and approval by the Punjab University should terminate their operations within 15 days. The notice said that after the expiry of the notice period, any educational institution found operating in a manner contrary to the law would be proceeded against under criminal and civil sections of the law. Interalia, such a conduct amounts to defrauding the students which is a cognizable offence, the notice said.

It is learnt that three private sector universities —— University of Lahore, Preston University, Lahore, and Punjnad University —- are also operating in the PU territorial jurisdiction without having a charter.

Similarly, three private sector universities —- Al-Khair University, AJK; Sh Mohyuddin Islamic University, Azad Kashmir; and Hamdard University, Karachi —- have opened their campuses within the PU jurisdiction without getting permission from the PU.

It is also learnt that three medical colleges are also functioning in the PU territorial jurisdiction claiming to have affiliation with the Baqai University, Sindh.

The Baqai University has so far not provided the list of its affiliated institutions and the PU had given a reminder. The three medical colleges claiming to have affiliation granted by the Baqai University are: Lahore Medical and Dental College, near Jallo Park, Lahore; Lahore College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Raiwind Road, Lahore; Al-Huda Medical College, Canal Road, Johar Town, Lahore.

The Punjab University has also issued notices to Bhutta Medical College, Faisalabad; Al-Huda Medical College, Canal Road, Johar Town, Lahore; Fatima Memorial Medical and Dental College, Lahore; Hajvery College for Women, Lahore; and Western College of Modern Sciences, Lahore; that under which authority they had started enrolling students.

Meanwhile, the Punjab University has disaffiliated three commerce colleges and one law college out of its 109 affiliated private colleges for not meeting the requirements. The colleges, which have been disaffiliated are: Professional College of Commerce, Lahore; International College of Commerce, Lahore; Wise College of Commerce for Girls, Lahore; and the Urdu Law College, Lahore.

The Punjab University has also issued warnings to 19 private colleges —- 13 information technology colleges, three law colleges and three commerce colleges —- to improve within three months. The warnings have mostly been issued on the pretext of shortage of qualified faculty, principals and the laboratories.

The Punjab University has also 391 affiliated colleges in the public sector.

Talking to Dawn, PU registrar Col Masudul Haq (retired) said the university had started re-inspecting all the private sector-affiliated institutions by paying surprise visits to check their present facilities and standard of education.

Answering a question, Col Haq said that when the university would receive the complete list of affiliated institutions from the 53 authorized universities and colleges, the Punjab University would start proceeding against the defaulter institutions.

Answering another question, Col Haq said the students studying in the unaffiliated institutions should take prompt remedial steps to safeguard their interests. He said the Punjab University would not accept any responsibility for the default of any such institution.