ISLAMABAD, Oct 6: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has warned the degree awarding institutions in the private sector that their charters will be cancelled, if they fail to meet criteria set by the commission, official sources told Dawn.

In this connection, an inspection committee has also been constituted, the sources said. The HEC has a criteria both in terms of infrastructure and level of faculty for an educational institution to get degree awarding status.

Soon after the setting up of the HEC, it noticed the mushrooming of degree awarding institutions in the private sector. Later, a federal cabinet meeting on February 27, 2002 set a deadline of five years, which is to be expired on February 27, 2007 for all such institutions in the private sector, to meet the minimum laid down standards of the commission.

During the meeting, revised guidelines for the establishment of a new university or an institution of higher education had also been approved. Meanwhile, HEC Chairman Dr Attaur Rahman warned the Imperial College of Business Studies, Lahore to remove deficiencies within the deadline to avoid cancellation of its charter, says an official announcement issued here on Wednesday.

The inspection committee of the HEC, during a visit to the college, monitored academic and physical infrastructure available with the university in relation to the criteria.

The committee also looked into its (college) financial position, whether it could meet the requirements of a degree awarding institution or not. It observed that the college had not its own building, lacked highly qualified faculty members, endowment funds, working capital, internet service and basic facilities for staff and students.

"The college is also deficient in possession of physical infrastructure, faculty and financial viability. The management positions like rector, registrar, controller examinations etc do not exist and it does not seem to have its own building by 2007 as per requirement of the criteria."