KARACHI, March 20: About 90 students of five batches of Defence Authority Degree College were awarded bachelor's degree from the University of Karachi at a convocation here on Saturday.

Five of the students also received 'best graduate gold medals' from the chief guest, provincial Minister for Education Irfanullah Khan Marwat. The Administrator of DHA Brig Maqsood Hussain, parents of the graduates and many other guests attended the ceremony held at the college auditorium.

The best graduates, all coming from the faculty of commerce, had secures 64 to 70 per cent marks in the years 1999 to 2003. The gold medalists were Muhammad Salman Khan, Waseem Hussain, Aatif Rasheed, Edric Pacian Joseph and Khurrum Malik.

KU Vice-Chancellor Dr Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui gave away the degrees.

Mr Marwat appreciated the discipline and sobriety he observed during the convocation. He observed that a lack of discipline and merit was the main reason for the decline in the standard of education in public sector organizations.

Regretting that merit had been flouted in 90 per cent of appointments of teaching staff over the last two decades, the minister reiterated the present government's resolve not to succumb to any pressure from influential quarters. There would now be no compromise on merit and transparency in the recruitment process or other disciplines, he declared.

Defence Authority Degree College Principal Brig (r) Muhammad Ali Jawaid presented a report on faculty, physical infrastructure and academic programmes of the college and its achievements.

The college was established in 1990 with about 100 students and 10 faculty members. Within a span of 13 years, the institution was expanded to accommodate more than 1,500 students at graduate and under-graduate level. He said there was a faculty of 61 members at the college now.