HEC may get Rs 14 billion against Rs 15.8 billion demand

The government has proposed Rs 14 billion allocation for Higher Education Commission (HEC) in the upcoming budget for 2011-12, against its demand of Rs 15.8 billion, it is learnt. Federal government will provide funds to the HEC till legislation is amended, according to the draft budgetary documents.
Of the total proposed Rs1 4 billion an amount of Rs 589.319 million would be earmarked for new projects and Rs 13.4 billion for ongoing projects.
The HEC allocation includes Rs 111.2 million foreign assistance and Rs13.9 billion is the government support.
HEC official told Business Recorder that the major focus of HEC remained supporting a qualified faculty. At present, 2800 scholars are pursuing PhD studies in foreign universities and 350 have completed their studies, while 3800 are pursuing PhD under indigenous programmes and 385 have completed studies from local universities. In addition, 326 scholars have completed post-doctoral fellowships from reputed foreign universities. More PhDs have graduated from Pakistani universities in the last nine years than in the first 55 years of Pakistan's existence.
During the period from 1947 to 2002, 3281 PhD degrees were awarded, while 3037 scholars completed their doctoral studies in the last nine years alone, the official said.
"But that is not enough; we need an 'additional' 15,000 PhDs over next 10 years, i.e. 1500 PhDs on average per year", he added.
The new projects proposed in the budget document are devoid of any national or international scholarship programme. Only 17 new projects have been included in the budget document for the year 2011-12.
An allocation of Rs200 million has been made for the provision of higher education opportunities for the students of Balochistan and Fata. Overseas scholarship for MS/M Phil, leading to PhD, has received an allocation of Rs 1.8 billion.
The most significant ongoing project is the PhD fellowship for 5,000 scholars for which an allocation of Rs 600 million has been made against the HEC demand of Rs 650 million. Meanwhile. foreign faculty hiring received an allocation of Rs 375 million.
One of the major new projects that have been mentioned in the budget document is 'strengthening and development of SBK Women University, Quetta' for which Rs 108.017 million has been allocated. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 808.757 million, inclusive of foreign assistance of Rs 213.914 million.
Strengthening of labs and faculty at Lasbela University of Agriculture Water and Marine Sciences, Uthal, is targeted to receive Rs 100 million in the draft budget document. However, the estimated cost of the project is Rs 385.421 million.
The third major project is the establishment of a grid station at Sector H-12, Islamabad, for National University of Science and Technology (Nust), for which Rs 79 million has been allocated. The estimated cost for the project is Rs 408.970 million. An amount of Rs 95 million has been allocated for the establishment of Air University Campus in Multan. The estimated cost for the project is Rs200 million.
Other major projects include establishment of physical laboratories at Balochistan University of Information Technology and Management Sciences in Quetta with a proposed allocation of Rs 38.970 million, construction of boundary wall at International Islamic University (IIUI) with a proposed allocation of Rs 30.391 million, establishment of business incubation centre at Comsats Institute of Information Technology with a proposed allocation of Rs 32 million, Strengthening of Environmental Engineering department of NED University at a cost of Rs 22.065 million.
An allocation of Rs 350 million has been made for strengthening of NED University of Engineering and Technology Karachi, where its estimated amount is Rs 2.2 billion with foreign assistance component of Rs 1.4 billion. The project to strengthen the University of Engineering and Technology is to receive an allocation of Rs 500 million against the estimated cost of Rs 5.9 billion with foreign assistance of Rs 1.9 billion.