HEC Notification on BSc Engineering & B. Tech Equivalence Suspended by IHC

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) announcement addressing the comparability of graduate engineers and B. Tech graduates was suspended by the Islamabad High Court on Wednesday.

Justice Babar Sattar issued notices to Federal Secretary Education and HEC after a preliminary hearing into the petition filed by Pakistan Engineering Council. On behalf of PEC, Barrister Raheel Ahmed took the stance that the HEC notification was in violation of the PEC Act and the Supreme Court decision.

He claimed that the notification had raised severe issues for PEC and the engineering community, because non-engineers were not allowed to perform engineering duties under the PEC Act and the Supreme Court decision.

On the 25th of January, PEC filed a challenge to the HEC equivalence announcement. HEC issued a statement on December 8, 2021, certifying a bachelor's degree in engineering (16 years of education) equivalent to a bachelor's degree in related technology (16 years of study).

Following the outcome of its Accreditation and Equivalence Committee's 10th meeting, HEC released notification. The committee approved the amendment after much consideration, according to HEC, and a PEC representative was also present at the meeting.