ISLAMABAD, Jan 26: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has declared the international Graduate Record Examination (GRE) mandatory for the applicants of its recently announced Rs4.2 billion overseas scholarship scheme.

A number of potential candidates talking to Dawn criticized the decision, terming it uncalled for and wastage of money. Earlier, the National Testing Service (NTS), an autonomous body, used to conduct the GRE for the HEC's various scholarship schemes and in return the commission paid the service charges to the NTS.

However, under the new scheme the applicants would directly take the GRE online after paying fees in dollars to the US-based testing service. Ms Zaidi, who is preparing for the examination, said a candidate now should have an international credit card to be able to take the GRE. Otherwise, he has to prepare a money draft which is lengthy as well as a cumbersome process, she added.

When contacted, HEC's Director Curriculum Dr Altaf Ali G. Sheikh, who is also taking care of GRE related affairs, confirmed that the decision was being criticized.

Around 800 students would be sent abroad for PhD-level studies, mainly in the developed countries, under the HEC's overseas scholarship programme. Every year, around 200 students will go abroad under the scheme which will continue for four to five years. Since this is the initial period of the programme, a large number of people are facing problems.

However, by the next year they will have enough information and time to take their GRE online, he said. Most of the world universities have GRE international as one of the preconditions for admission, hence there was no way out in this regard.

In response to a question, he said earlier the HEC had an agreement with a limited number of countries and through the NTS it conducted GRE which was acceptable to them.

Likewise, some people would also complain and accuse the HEC officials of nepotism and also question the transparency of the NTS. Therefore, with introduction of GRE international such problems would automatically be solved.

Likewise, this is what had been decided at the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) meeting in which the overseas scholarship scheme was approved.

To another question, he said in the long run it would help improve education standards in the public sector universities. Space science curriculum devised: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has worked out the curriculum of space science to be taught at graduate and postgraduate levels in public-sector universities of the country.

In this regard, a three-day preliminary meeting of the HEC's National Curriculum Review Committee (NCRC) concluded here the other day. The HEC director-general (Curriculum), Dr Altaf Ali G. Shaikh, inaugurated the meeting and emphasized that the space science curricula should be on a par with international standards and emerging technologies.

The committee also discussed the significance and objectives of space science, besides identifying the major subjects and nomenclature of degree programmes.

It recommended BSc (four years) and MSc (two years) programmes, and suggested measures for creating awareness and developing technical and professional manpower in this field.

The committee suggested that information on current trends of research in space science be disseminated in public-sector universities, and called for collaboration between universities and different research and development organizations like Suparco, Nescom and telecommunication departments for arranging workshops, seminars and lectures.