Funds dearth: HEC to end MPhil, PhD programme

KARACHI - Higher Education Commission (HEC) has decided to stop sending students abroad on scholarships for MPhil and PhD programmes due to financial cut in the HEC’s budget by the present democratic government, The Nation learnt on Friday through its sources.
The HEC was used to spend Rs 5 billion yearly on account of scholarships, while previous scholarship programme, advertised in January 2008, will be continued but now the programme has been terminated due to inappropriate policies of the government.
It is pertinent to mention here that HEC, from its inception to date, has sent around 3000 candidates to USA, China, Austria, Germany, England, Italy, France and other countries for higher research (MPhil/PhD).
It is also worth mentioning that the government funding to HEC had been stopped when PPP-led government came into power.