Majority of HEC PhD scholars didnot return to Pakistan after completion of degree

80 out of 132 Ph.D. scholars who went abroad after receiving scholarshipsthrough the Higher Education Commission (HEC) didn’t return to Pakistanafter completing their research. It was revealed by the HEC officials while presenting the annual auditreport for 2018 during a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC)presided over by PTI MNA Noor Alam Khan.—————————— HEC officials apprised the meeting that…

80 out of 132 Ph.D. scholars who went abroad after receiving scholarshipsthrough the Higher Education Commission (HEC) didn’t return to Pakistanafter completing their research.

It was revealed by the HEC officials while presenting the annual auditreport for 2018 during a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC)presided over by PTI MNA Noor Alam Khan.——————————

HEC officials apprised the meeting that the remaining 52 Ph.D. scholarsfailed their examinations and returned to Pakistan without receiving thedegree, adding that the national exchequer incurred a loss of Rs. 955billion in the process.

It is worth mentioning here that HEC rules require Ph.D. students who studyabroad at the expense of the Pakistani government to return back and servea minimum of 5 years in Pakistan.

When inquired about the recovery of financial losses from the failed 52Ph.D. scholars who returned back to the country, HEC officials revealedthat only 1 student has returned the expenses to the HEC.

HEC officials told the committee that the commission was forced to initiatelegal proceedings against the 52 students to recover the losses. HEC haswon 24 cases while the remaining 27 cases will be concluded soon.