ISLAMABAD: Around one dozen scholars, who have completed their PhDs from Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), have been waiting for their final notifications for the last several months.

The delay on the part of the AIOU is not only depriving some of them of their ‘Phd Allowance’ from their respective universities but also preventing them from applying for scholarships for post-doctorate studies.

“Notifications should have been issued to us within a few days after the successful completion of our thesis defence. But it has been many months now, and we have still not received the notifications,” said a student, whose completed the defence of his thesis several months ago.

Talking to Dawn, AIOU Vice Chancellor Dr Shahid Siddiqui blamed the delay on the changes in the format of PhD notifications by the Higher Education Commission (HEC). He said the AIOU had to adopt the changes which was why there has been a delay. He, however, said on Thursday he called a meeting of the officials concerned wherein a draft notification has been approved.

“I will monitor the process and will ensure the notifications are issued to all PhD scholars at the earliest,” he said.

Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2018