ISLAMABAD (Daily Point) — The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has implemented stringent regulations in the 2024 Affiliation Policy for universities and degree-awarding institutions. According to the new policy, these institutions must obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the HEC before affiliating with public or private colleges.
Under the Affiliation Policy 2024, previously affiliated colleges are subjected to desk reviews conducted by the HEC to ensure ongoing compliance. Universities are now obligated to furnish essential information about their affiliated colleges through the HEC portal.
Non-compliance with the new policy will lead to strict actions by the HEC, including the refusal to attest degrees and other disciplinary measures. Moreover, educational institutes failing to adhere to the policy may face a ban on affiliations. The HEC has also declared its refusal to recognize degrees or documents of students enrolled in violation of its policies.
According to the policy draft, universities are barred from affiliating new programs with colleges unless these programs have been operational within the university for a minimum of five years.
In a move to enforce the new policy, the HEC has introduced an online portal. Universities are required to provide details about their new and existing affiliated colleges through this portal, with the information subject to review by the HEC Review Desk.
It’s worth noting that this new policy comes nearly a year after the HEC halted public sector universities from granting new affiliations to colleges.
