80 out of 132 Ph.D. scholars who went abroad after receiving scholarships through the Higher Education Commission (HEC) didn’t return to Pakistan after completing their research.
It was revealed by the HEC officials while presenting the annual audit report for 2018 during a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) presided over by PTI MNA Noor Alam Khan.
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HEC officials apprised the meeting that the remaining 52 Ph.D. scholars failed their examinations and returned to Pakistan without receiving the degree, adding that the national exchequer incurred a loss of Rs. 955 billion in the process.
It is worth mentioning here that HEC rules require Ph.D. students who study abroad at the expense of the Pakistani government to return back and serve a minimum of 5 years in Pakistan.
When inquired about the recovery of financial losses from the failed 52 Ph.D. scholars who returned back to the country, HEC officials revealed that only 1 student has returned the expenses to the HEC.
HEC officials told the committee that the commission was forced to initiate legal proceedings against the 52 students to recover the losses. HEC has won 24 cases while the remaining 27 cases will be concluded soon.
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Moreover, HEC has formulated a new policy under which Ph.D. students will be granted scholarships only after they submit the record and original documents of their properties in Pakistan to the commission to avoid such a situation in the future.
HEC would be authorized to confiscate the property in case a student doesn’t return to Pakistan.
MNA Noor Alam Khan expressed apprehension over the new policy and said that it will significantly reduce the chance of students hailing from an impoverished background to study abroad.
In response, HEC officials said that most of the 80 students who didn’t return to Pakistan belonged to the lower or lower-middle class. Thus, such a policy has been devised.
Noor Alam Khan suggested that HEC should allow students who don’t own any property in the country to submit an attorney or a guarantor to the commission in order to receive the scholarships abroad if HEC cannot relax the rules for them.
Via: Tribune
WRONG. my own brother got scholarship and he came back as per bond and he’s serving here for the last 10 years. HEC wants to close the funding and we know where the major Chunk of funding goes. It’s an escape goat.
I think these figures are for the past year
Yes this story is wrong and misleading or perhaps data is being misinterpreted.
I was on NUST scholarship, I went back and completed my full 5 years contract with them.
Thinking about it I can recall many names now who were on HEC scholarship with us and went back to their respective universities and are currently contributing significantly to the country
Bcoz they aren’t idiots… Better lifestyle at better places with better security
but they are breaking their contract to serve 5 years, i mean the government pays for their expense and in exchange these student cheat with the system. how are they not idiots, cheaters and deceivers. what can you except from such persons in the future when they start there foundation by deceiving.
anyone with a healthy brain who goes out realizes that coming back to this country is a mistake.
so a healthy brains teaches you to deceive, take advantage of others, break your service contract, not to pay back the money you owe.eh? no thanks its better to not have such a healthy cunning brain that feeds on others money. what will you except from these people? a person who isn’t loyal to even his own country do you think such people will be loyal to other country they settled in. They will even deceive, fraud cheat with them. A dishonest person is dishonest everywhere. And when these person will commit such acts there, people like you will again blame Pakistan for their actions.
Do it on your own money and not be a freeloader criminal who steals from the state
955 billion on 152 scholarships? Isnt that million?
“adding that the national exchequer incurred a loss of Rs. 955 billion in the process.”
there has to be something wrong in this line
HEC should not be surprised by those 52 Phd scholars. The type of research and content they accept at Mphil level is enough for evidence.
Well this article must be referring to a specific HEC Phd program because I availed the PhD scholarship, came back after completing my studies and now currently serving at a university. Only few months to go and I will complete my five years term….. then I am free to go anywhere perhaps start my own business….
Kudos to you mate. We need honest people like you.
Just cancel their passports. no need to worry, they will return ASAP.
they will all come back once their passports get cancelled.