UET undergraduate programme entrance test

UET to hold entrance test on Sept 19
Lahore, Sept 03: The University of Engineering and Technology (UET) has announced that it will hold combined entrance test for admission to engineering institutions for undergraduate programme on Sept 19 (Sunday).

As many as 36,000 candidates are expected to appear for the test.

The entrance test will be held simultaneously at UET Lahore and Taxila; Bahauddin Zikariya University's Engineering College, Multan, Islamia University Bahawalpur; NFC Institute of Engineering Research & Fertilizer, Faisalabad; University of Gujrat, Siddique Public School, 6th Road, Satellite Town Rawalpindi; NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi; Khyber Pakhtunkhwa University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar; and Balochistan Boys Scout Association Office.

The candidates are advised to reach their respective test centres at least an hour before the test.

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BS (Honours) programme College goes ahead unprepared
Lahore: As the Government College of Science, Wahdat Road has invited applications for admission to the new four-year BS (Honours) programme, its faculty says the principal introduced certain subjects without any preparation.

Admissions will formally begin after declaration of results of FA/FSc annual examinations on Saturday (tomorrow).

The college has offered certain subjects, which are not even being offered at the BS (Honours) level in the university it's attached with. The college is offering BS (Honours) in disciplines like English, Education, Political Science, Economics and Urdu, while these subjects are not being offered by the Punjab University at the BS (Honours) level.

The college has introduced BS (Honours) in Education though it was never a subject at the college at intermediate or graduation level. Virtually, there was no faculty member available for this subject. Sources in the college say how the college can launch the BS (Honours) programme, which is based on high aspirations, without any preparation.

College Principal Dr Iftikhar Ahmad Baig said the college would introduce courses on the basis of course outlines prepared by the Higher Education Commission. "It does not matter the Punjab University is not running the BS (Honours) programme in the disciplines concerned. May be, the PU does not have infrastructure but this college has," he said.

Answering a question about introducing BS (Honours) in Education, Dr Baig said there was no bar on introducing new disciplines. About the availability of faculty in the discipline, he said: "I am myself a teacher of education."

Sources said the principal was on the verge of retirement and he introduced the discipline of education to keep himself involved. They said the principal did not take classes because neither there was any department of education nor subject of education being taught in the college.

Punjab University BS (Honours) programme in-charge Prof Dr Jamil Anwar said neither the Higher Education Department nor the Government College of Science had formally sent any list of disciplines being introduced in BS (Honours).

Prof Anwar, who is also Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the Punjab University, said the varsity was not offering BS (Honours) in disciplines of English, Education, Political Science, Economics and Urdu. He said the BS (Honours) programme would face problems if subjects were introduced in a haste and without formal approval of the universities. He said it would be difficult to appoint university teachers as focal persons to supervise the BS (Honours) programme in the disciplines, which were not available in the university.

The Punjab University has got six government colleges attached and is currently assessing their capacity to introduce BS Honours programme.

Stating that the PU was not offering BS (Honours) in arts subjects, Prof Anwar said he would hold a meeting of department heads on the honours programme. He said lots of issues regarding affiliation and financing were pending.

Prof Anwar, however, said the Punjab University had finally resolved the issue of examination with the Higher Education Department. He said the PU would conduct final examination after each BS (Honours) semester in its attached colleges, while colleges would hold midterm examinations during each semester.

Punjab Higher Education Secretary Ahad Khan Cheema said colleges were being given autonomy so that they could take decisions on their own.

Cheema said the Higher Education Department had drafted rules and regulations for the 26 colleges selected for the BS (Honours) programme. He said the rules had been drafted after improving the rules and regulations of the autonomous Queen Mary College. "These rules and regulations will now be finalised by boards of governors notified at these colleges on August 31," he said.

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UET projects shelved for want of funds
Taxila: The country's financial crisis has forced the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to shelve 12 academic and human resource development projects of the University of Engineering and Technology (UET), Taxila.

Sources in the UET confirmed that the HEC had refused to provide Rs475.433 million for the establishment of Gandhara College of Architecture, Rs220 million for the Chakwal sub-campus, Rs450 million for strengthening of existing facilities, laboratories and equipment, Rs300 million for setting up of a power plant, high voltage and power system laboratory, Rs38.45 million for a hydropower development laboratory in electrical engineering department, Rs342 million for establishment of electronics engineering department and Rs427.8 million for the establishment of faculty of energy and power engineering department.

Other projects included provision of information technology infrastructure and setting up of data centre worth 132.02 million rupees, modelling and simulation for standardised testing and analysis of electrical system worth Rs39.80 million, establishment of power electronics laboratory for advanced research in electrical engineering department worth Rs39.50 million and strengthening of structural engineering studies worth 450 million rupees.

Sources said if the HEC stopped funds against the approved plans, the university would have to cancel the ongoing contracts.

A senior official of the HEC told this correspondent that they had informed vice chancellors and rectors of public sector universities that the commission was not in a position to provide them adequate funds.

Under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2009-2010, the HEC had been allocated Rs22.5 billion for its 358 development schemes which included both ongoing and new ones. However, according to sources, the government later revised the allocations to less than Rs18.5 billion.

The sources said lack of funds had caused suspension of 44 per cent HRD projects, stoppage of 26 per cent civil work and postponement of installation of 25 per cent equipment in universities.

When contacted, Director Planning and Development UET, Musharraf Sabih Sheikh confirmed that the university was facing financial problems because of a major slash in grants by the HEC. The HEC has not increased recurring grants of universities and reduced its development funds; therefore, UET is facing difficulty even in payment of salaries to its employees and has stopped development work. Dawn

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Gujranwala BISE chairman transferred
Lahore: The Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE), Gujranwala, Chairman Prof Muhammad Zahid Butt, who became controversial after removing board's audit officer for exposing his (chairman's) alleged misuse of financial powers, has finally been transferred.

In June 2010 the Punjab Higher Education Department was approached by Local Fund Audit Punjab and Punjab Finance Department to inquire into alleged misuse of financial powers by the BISE, Gujranwala, chairman.

The board's Audit Officer Khalid Mehmood was relieved by Chairman Prof Muhammad Zahid Butt on "administrative grounds" on June 08, 2010 almost after a week when the officer informed his department on June 02 about the alleged misuse of financial power by the chairman.

Afterwards the Chief Minister's Inspection Team (CMIT) was ordered by Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif to conduct an enquiry.

According to the documents available, the BISE Gujranwala chairman had allegedly pressurised the audit officer to pass a bill regarding purchase of a mobile phone at a cost of Rs 65,000 despite the fact maximum purchase prize fixed by the government was Rs 5,500 only.

It was also alleged that the chairman refused to refund amount of Rs 78,400 which he drew allegedly unlawfully in the name of transfer grants while another alleged irregularity pointed out was related to rebate in Income Tax deduction.

The chairman was also accused of making appointments of computer operator (BS-11) and book binder (BS-11) in Confidential Press allegedly without observing prescribed procedure and qualification.

Many other alleged irregularities, including conveyance allowance to the board's estate officer and security officer despite residing within the office premises and advance of Rs 200,000 for tile work in chairman's office etc, were also pointed out.

In its findings, the CMIT termed many audit observations as valid. As per the CMIT report the purchase of mobile set was termed doubtful as the procurement process was not found transparent. However audit observation pertaining to transfer grants by the chairman was termed not-valid by the CMIT. The observation related to rebate in income tax deduction was also termed valid while the audit observation pertaining to appointments of computer operator (BS-11) and book binder (BS-11) in Confidential Press was termed not-valid. The observations pertaining to conveyance allowance to the board's estate officer and security officer and advance of Rs 200,000 for tile work in chairman's office etc were termed valid.

According to the documents, on recommendations of the CMIT, a special audit of the expenditure is being conducted these days. Sources in the Higher Education Department said the chairman might have been transferred earlier but it was not done owing to preparation of result of Intermediate Annual Examination which will be announced on September 4, 2010 (Saturday).

When contacted, Secretary Higher Education Ahad Khan Cheema confirmed that Prof Muhammad Zahid Butt has been transferred, saying the officer was transferred keeping in view his overall performance since his appointment as chairman of the BISE, Gujranwala. To a question, he said the officer was yet to be posted elsewhere. The news

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PU's instruction
Lahore: The Punjab University's examination department has instructed over 2,000 candidates planning to appear for their BEd annual examination for 2010 to provide their BA/BSc degree verifications or that of their Certificate of Teaching (CT). These students did their graduation from any other university.

The BEd annual examinations are beginning on Sept 17. The PU's examination department has sent the instructions to each candidate in writing.

Controller of Examinations Dr Zahid Karim Khan said 3,776 candidates had submitted their admission forms for the BEd examination. Of these candidates, he said, 1,332 were appearing as regular candidates and 326 had provided required documents to become eligible to sit for the examination. There were some 2,118 candidates who were still required to provide the relevant documents, he said.

Dr Khan said the university was pressing for the verification of documents because there had been reports about cheating.

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PUCAD Admission deadline extended
Lahore: The Punjab University College of Art and Design has extended the admission form submission date for BFA in Graphic Design, Textile Design and Painting (morning and replica programmes) until Sept 15 due to floods in the country.A separate entrance test will also be conducted on Sept 16 at 9am in the College of Art and Design.

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PU results
Lahore: The Punjab University on Thursday declared the results of MSc economics (replica) semester system session 2008-10, Doctor of Pharmacy, final professional supplementary examination for 2009, DMRD and DMRT Part-I annual examinations for 2008 and 2009.

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LCWU submission date
Lahore: The Lahore College for Women University extended the dues submission date for first year students till Friday (today).

The dues can be submitted during banking hours after which the fourth merit list will be displayed at 3pm. Dawn

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