LAHORE: The Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) chairman has observed that a majority of candidates having PhD and MPhil qualifications have purchased theses from private academies all over the country.

The chairman has made this revelation in his letter to the Punjab governor.

He stated the commission, during interviews of candidates conducted for the posts of assistant professors and lecturers in different subjects, found that most candidates had poor understanding of their subjects.

“By way of illustration, some of the candidates with MPhil degrees could not elaborate or defend their written thess for the degree they obtained,” the chairman said. He observed, “It has been learnt that PhD and MPhil theses on various topics could be purchased from various academies all over the country”.

Referring to the PPSC chairman’s letter, Punjab Governor Rafique Rajwana has written a letter to the vice-chancellors of all public and private sector universities, asking them to take cognizance of the unsavory practice of sale of degrees. The governor stressed the need for introducing appropriate checks to end the practice, in consultation with the respective parent departments.

Punjab Higher Education Commission Chairman Dr Nizamuddin said he was planning to hold a seminar on the subject with public and private sector varsities’ vice-chancellors in attendance.

Published in Dawn, Aprill 17th, 2018