Pak Studies No Longer Mandatory For Undergraduate

Higher Education Commission Pakistan has brought about a significant change in its undergraduate policy, removing the compulsory status of Pakistan Studies from the curriculum. Starting with the 2023 scheme of studies, BA, BSc, and all honors degree programs will no longer require students to take Pakistan Studies. The students can check the information that HEC Alters Undergraduate Curriculum by Making Pak Studies Optional.

The decision has sparked diverse reactions within academic circles. Representatives from the Federation of All Pakistan Academic Staff Association and Dr. Amjad Magsi, the General Secretary of the Punjab University Academic Staff Association, have voiced their concerns. They highlight that Pakistan Studies has been an integral part of the graduate-level curriculum for many decades, and replacing it with another subject may raise sensitive issues related to national sentiments. They are urging the HEC to reconsider and reinstate Pakistan Studies as a mandatory subject at the undergraduate level.

In contrast, a spokesperson for the Higher Education Commission clarified that universities are not obligated to strictly adhere to this new policy. The decision to include or exclude Pakistan Studies from the curriculum remains at the discretion of individual institutions, providing flexibility across different universities.