ISLAMABAD — The National Assembly Standing Committee on Government Assurances has directed the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to reduce delays in the degree attestation process, saying the current system is complicated and places an unnecessary financial burden on students.
The committee, which met under the chairpersonship of MNA Nuzhat Sadiq on Friday, reviewed the implementation of an assurance previously given by the federal education minister on the floor of the House regarding issues faced by students in getting their degrees attested.
Members observed that the time taken from the submission of an attestation application to its completion should be minimized to ease difficulties for applicants, particularly those seeking employment or higher studies abroad.
Blockchain-based system in development
During the briefing, the HEC chairman informed the committee that a comprehensive, secure, blockchain-based digital system is being developed as part of broader digital transformation efforts.
According to the HEC, the new system is expected to be implemented before June 30, 2026. In its initial phase, it will connect HEC with 25 universities and the Attestation Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to streamline verification procedures.
The committee also requested a joint presentation from HEC and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to explain the complete degree attestation workflow and proposed improvements.
Reimbursement scheme for professional degrees
In the same meeting, members discussed the exclusion of newly introduced professional degrees, including business data analysis, from the Federal Employees Benevolent Fund fee reimbursement scheme.
The committee directed the Establishment Division to revise its rules to ensure that all professional degrees recognized by HEC and relevant accreditation councils are included in the reimbursement policy.
The secretary of the Establishment Division assured the committee that amendments would be made to incorporate newly introduced professional degrees into the scheme.
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