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 in the entire country.
The decision, communicated through an official announcement, has sent shockwaves through private and public universities that had quickly expanded into smaller districts.
As per the directive, all pending and pipeline sub-campus projects have been suspended with immediate effect. Universities have been directed 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 permits will be issued for sub-campuses at the tehsil level for the time being.
The crackdown comes after internal reviews revealed that many of these sub-campuses in Punjab and other provinces were functioning far below academic standards.
Key issues highlighted in the review include a severe shortage of PhD-qualified faculty, inadequate student enrollment and weak infrastructure.
The HEC has declared that sub-campuses established without prior approval will not be given academic status and degrees issued by such institutions will not be recognised.
An HEC official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the move was taken after repeated warnings were ignored, adding that several institutions prioritized expansion over quality, which directly compromises students’ future.
“We cannot allow degree granting bodies to function without meeting minimum academic benchmarks,” he added. Investigations reveal that many illegal or unapproved sub-campuses were operating under the umbrella of parent universities but without formal approval from the HEC.
In the major cities of Punjab, these campuses often rented small buildings in the tehsil towns and offered limited programs with part-time or visiting faculty. In several cases, classes were conducted only on weekends, raising serious questions about academic rigor.
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. But ground realities painted a different picture with students facing problems like lack of laboratories, libraries and qualified teaching staff.
A senior official of the Punjab Higher Education Department said that they received several complaints from students and parents regarding the poor quality of education in 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 confidence in the system.” The issue has become more pressing in recent years as universities increasingly sought to explore untapped markets in smaller cities.
Education experts believe the absence of strict monitoring allowed institutions to exploit loopholes in the law.
“Some universities established sub-campuses without proper feasibility studies. They lacked essential facilities and were heavily dependent on temporary faculties. This is not sustainable for quality higher education,” said Muzaffad Mahmood, an academician based in Lahore.
