PU students declared ineligible in laptop scheme
LAHORE: A controversy has sparked in the Prime Minister’s Laptop Scheme, as the Higher Education Commission (HEC) has declared thousands of students of the Punjab University (PU) ineligible in the merit list of the scheme, Daily Times learnt on Tuesday.
Several mistakes were found in HEC’s merit list of laptop for the students of PU enrolled in masters and bachelors programs, as numbers of eligible students were placed in the ineligible, not selected and waiting category. According to sources, around 13 thousand students of PU were listed by HEC previously as they were considered on merit and eligible to validate their record on HEC website. But, HEC has provided only 5000 laptops, which means that 8,000 students, who were eligible will not getlaptops. The sources further revealed that around 2000 to 3000 students of PU facing several issues including change of their GPA, placed in ineligibility, not selected and waiting lists despite being on merit.
However, according to eligibility criteria mentioned by HEC, students of 1 or 2-year Masters Degree Program (morning & evening) who have secured 60% or above marks in the last annual exam in case of annual examination system or 70% or above (based on CGPA) cumulative of all previous semesters of semester system. Students of 4-year Bachelors Program (morning & evening) who have secured 60% or above marks in the last exam in annual assessment system, or 70% or above (based on CGPA) cumulative of all previous semesters of semester system.
According to documents available by Daily Times, a student of Masters Programs who’s GPA of first semester was 3.12 but it was written 2.12 in the list provided by HEC’s website and PU. The student was enlisted in the “Not Eligible” students list despite being on merit as per HEC’s merit. The issue had also created panic among students who complained about injustice done by HEC. Students who are facing such issues including change of their CGPA, placing the name in ineligible, not selected list without informing the reason, told Daily Times that PU officials are forwarding their emails to HEC’s concerned officials but they are not responding.
They said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif aimed at providing laptops on merit. Students demanded PM and Chairman HEC to take notice of the injustice done by HEC with the students and provide them laptop which is their right because they are eligible as per HEC eligibility criteria. Deputy Director Planning and Development (P &D) PU and focal person for PM Laptop Program PU Rashid Ahmad Malhi told Daily Times that PU has asked HEC’s concerned officials to visit and discuss the issue being faced by thousands of students.
He said that the problem is at the end of HEC and there are mistakes in the list provided by HEC. He was of the view that P&D department is providing guidance to the students and it has also forward case of several students to the concerned HEC officials. It is pertinent to mention here that spokesperson HEC Waseem Khaliqdad and Ayesha were not available for comments despite several phone calls.
Source: Daily Times