LAHORE – In a sweeping move, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) has imposed an immediate ban on the establishment, operation, and advertisement of university sub-campuses at the tehsil level across Punjab and throughout the country. The decision, conveyed through an official notification, has sent shockwaves through private and public sector universities that had been rapidly expanding into smaller districts.
According to the directive, all pending and pipeline sub-campus projects have been suspended with immediate effect. Universities have been instructed to halt admissions, recruitment, land acquisition, and construction activities linked to such campuses. The HEC has also clarified that no new no-objection certificates (NOCs), accreditations, or permissions will be issued for sub-campuses at the tehsil level until further notice.
Key Concerns Behind the Crackdown
The crackdown comes after internal reviews revealed that many of these sub-campuses in Punjab and other provinces were operating far below academic standards. Key concerns highlighted in the notification include:
- Severe shortage of PhD-qualified faculty
- Inadequate student enrolment
- Weak infrastructure
The HEC has declared that sub-campuses established without prior approval will not be granted academic status, and degrees issued by such institutions will not be recognized.
Official Statement
An HEC official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the step was taken after repeated warnings were ignored, adding that several institutions were prioritizing expansion over quality, which directly compromises students’ futures. “We cannot allow degree-awarding bodies to function without meeting minimum academic benchmarks,” he added.
Widespread Violations
Investigations reveal that many illegal or unapproved sub-campuses were operating under the umbrella of parent universities but without formal clearance from the HEC. In the big cities of Punjab, these campuses often rented small buildings in tehsil towns, offering limited programmes with part-time or visiting faculty. In several cases, classes were conducted only on weekends, raising serious questions about academic rigor.
Aggressive Marketing, Poor Realities
Sources in the education sector indicate that some universities used aggressive marketing campaigns to attract students in rural and semi-urban areas, promising recognized degrees and modern facilities. However, on-ground realities painted a different picture, with students facing issues such as a lack of laboratories, libraries, and qualified teaching staff.
Complaints from Students and Parents
A senior official from the Punjab Higher Education Department said they received multiple complaints from students and parents regarding the poor quality of education at these sub-campuses. “In many cases, students were misled about the recognition status of their degrees. This action by the HEC is necessary to restore trust in the system.”
Expert Opinion
Education experts believe that the absence of strict monitoring allowed institutions to exploit regulatory gaps. “Some universities established sub-campuses without proper feasibility studies. They lacked essential facilities and relied heavily on temporary faculty. This is not sustainable for quality higher education,” said Muzaffad Mahmood, an academic based in Lahore.
Analysis: Quality Over Expansion
The HEC’s ban on tehsil-level sub-campuses is a necessary corrective to a system that prioritized expansion over quality. The proliferation of sub-campuses in small towns was driven by universities seeking new revenue streams, but academic standards were often compromised.
The concerns highlighted by the HEC — shortage of PhD faculty, inadequate enrolment, weak infrastructure — are fundamental. A university campus without qualified faculty is not a university; it is a degree shop.
The decision to declare degrees from unapproved sub-campuses unrecognized is a powerful deterrent. Students who enrolled in these programmes in good faith may suffer, but the long-term integrity of Pakistan’s higher education system depends on such measures.
The ban is immediate and sweeping. Universities that had planned expansions will need to reconsider. For students in tehsil towns, access to higher education may become more difficult in the short term. But in the long term, quality must come first.
