500,000 B.Tech graduates' future at stake

ISLAMABAD: More than 50,000 B.Tech graduates in the country are deprived of access to higher studies, job opportunity in public departments and promotions due to undefined status of their degree.

While their longstanding demand of establishing Pakistan Technology Council (PTC) which can register technology graduates, safeguard their benefits and control technology institutions is still unheard.

Talking to APP, Chairman Pakistan Council of Technologists, Sheikh Javed said that a draft bill for the establishment of Pakistan Technology Council (PTC) was dispatched to the Prime Minister in February 2010 which was forwarded to the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) on March 3, 2010 for furnishing their comments but is still pending.

Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) has refused to control, register and promote the technologists and in its act passed on December 29 from the parliament excluded the terms `technicians or technologists' which meant that the council is not ready to accept their status.

The government for the several times reiterated its commitment to work for the promotion of technical education but PEC has prohibited the education ministry for establishing Pakistan Technology Council, Javed said.

Over 10,000 B.Tech graduates complete their degrees from different institutes annually and start their struggle in the market for jobs.

"I have completed B.Tech programme but there is no scope of this programme in Pakistan so I have decided to go abroad and seek job," said Atif Malal.

B.Tech programme was formally launched in 1973 and the then Ministry of Education directed to give status of B.Tech (Hons) degree at par with B.Sc Engineering/B.E degree, according to the letter No. 15-29/73-Tech.

According to the letter no PEC/4-P/QEC, PEC stated that B.Tech degree will be considered equivalent to B.Sc/BE and the same decision was taken in 9th inter-provincial ministers conference at Quetta in 1986, 39th HEC meeting on 12-2-98, FPSC in its letter no F4-89/2002-R but now PEC is not ready to accept their status.

The B.Tech holders study the same courses like engineers and are equally competent but they have to struggle and file cases individually to recognize their degree status, Sheikh Javed said.

Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) has refused to register technologists while different public departments are denying to recognize their degree, not giving them jobs. While those who have been appointed already cannot promoted upto Grade 16, he said.

Sheikh Javed said Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) is also not appointing the B.Tech degree holders directly.

Most of the B.Tech graduates, after completion of their qualification, move to other countries in search of better job opportunities, he said.

The technologists holding B.Tech qualification have filed several cases in courts and got 17 decisions in their favour,declaring their degree equivalent to B.Sc/BE but no decision could not be implemented so far. 

The full bench of Supreme Court in Suo Motu Review Petition No. 52 of 1993 given its verdict on June 05, 1995 in favour of B.Tech (Hons) thrashing out the role of PEC.

But, PEC in 2004-05 managed the amendments by adding new clauses and definition of professional engineering work and section 5A of Section 27 only to null and void the decision of full bench of Supreme Court thus to interfere in the service matters and blocking promotion channels of employees possessing B.Tech (Hons) degrees.

Saleem Akhtar, Associate Engineer NESPAK told APP that B.Tech holders are facing severe difficulties due to unclear status of their qualification.

Although Higher Education Commission (HEC) issues equivalence certificate to the graduates but the public departments refuse to employ them, he said. 

HEC through a letter accepted the status of B.Tech (Hons) equivalent to BS.c/BE but PEC is not ready to agree.

"Pakistan Technology Council, if established, will help register technology graduates, control technology institution and eliminate discrimination in access to higher education, job opportunities and scale promotions," Saleem said.