HEC introduces unified admissions policy for graduate programmes

ISLAMABAD: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has announced changes to the admissions process for graduate programmes at universities across Pakistan, introducing a new policy that applies to both public and private institutions.

Under the revised framework, universities will no longer be permitted to hold their own separate entrance examinations for admissions to graduate-level programmes. The HEC said admissions to Level 7 and Level 8 programmes will now be based on the Education Testing Council (ETC) test.

The commission stated that universities would not be allowed to conduct separate entrance tests in place of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), marking a shift towards a single testing mechanism for admissions.

According to the new policy, academic records from graduation and examinations have been made mandatory for admission to MPhil and PhD programmes. The HEC said the revised system is intended to standardise the admissions process for MS, MPhil and PhD programmes.

Uniform testing system introduced

The higher education regulator said a uniform and transparent testing system has now been put in place for graduate admissions in order to ensure merit. The policy covers admissions to Level 7 and 8 programmes in universities nationwide.

As part of the latest changes, the HEC has also withdrawn some provisions of the Graduate Education Policy 2023 with immediate effect. However, the commission did not specify in the report which provisions had been abolished.

The HEC has directed all universities to ensure the immediate and complete implementation of the new policy.

The move represents a significant change in the university admissions system, as institutions across the country will now be required to follow a centralised testing arrangement for graduate admissions rather than using separate institutional entrance exams.

The policy applies to admissions for MS, MPhil and PhD programmes and is aimed at creating a more consistent admissions structure across the higher education sector. By linking admissions to the ETC test and requiring graduation records and examinations for MPhil and PhD candidates, the HEC has set out a revised framework that it says is designed to promote transparency and merit.

The higher education regulator stated that Level 7 and 8 admissions in public and private universities will now be subject to the Education Testing Council (ETC) test, and universities will not be allowed to conduct their own separate entrance tests in lieu of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).

The commission has instructed universities to put the policy into effect without delay, making the new admissions rules applicable immediately.