KARACHI, April 30: Amidst an increasing concern over the plight of graduates of the Dawood College of Engineering and Technology, the Pakistan Engineering Council has come up with the notion that college as well as the government was responsible for the situation.

The PEC says that it has continuously been explaining its position on accreditation of DCET engineering programmes at all relevant forums, but no remedial measures were taken.

"PEC feels that within its purview it has done its best to depose its obligations and the government and the college have now to act to remedy the situation," said a statement, signed by Muhammad Jawaid Khan, Deputy Registrar of the council at Karachi.

The PEC on Friday said that the standard of engineering education at the DCET had been declining at least for the last ten years, while it had been continuously informing the authorities concerned about the situation.

"The PEC, after giving due notice to the college/university, was forced to withdraw accreditation in 2000 for failing to meet the minimum laid down criteria/standard," the statement said, adding that when the PEC team visited the DCET in August 2003, they found no improvement in the DCET's engineering programmes.

In the light of the August visit, PEC had written letters to the Sindh governor, federal education minister and the Higher Education Commission, requesting for immediate steps to arrest further deterioration in the situation.

When contacted, DCET Principal Prof Muhammad Salim Chauhdry, said that as majority of the deficiencies, as pointed out in regard to grant of accreditation, had almost been made up, now the college was approaching the PEC for conducting a final visit to the college by the end of May. "I have sent a formal letter to PEC, just today, for a visit," he mentioned.

In the meantime, he continued, the federal minister for education, Zobaida Jalal, had also talked to him on the issue on Thursday night. He said that the minister was taking keen interest in the college affairs and it was only under her directives that appointment of over 35 faculty members in different departments had been finalized.

He said that the PEC had sought an increase in regular faculty, equipment and financial resources of the college, adding that a considerable development in that direction had been made. He said that the purchase process of 60 latest computers was also nearing completion.

Of the financial resources, he said that the college would be receiving an enhanced grant in aid of Rs42.5 million from the federal government in the next financial year, while the college's own income included about Rs11 million against 50 self-finance seats, in addition to collection of fees from students under regular programmes. The DCET's expenditures were estimated around Rs60 million, he added.