Islamabad, Sep 26: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) provided clarification, stating that Urdu has never been required as a subject for undergraduates. Nonetheless, the subject is still taught at levels similar to or greater than secondary higher education. The clarification concerned a false report that had surfaced about Urdu’s removal as a required subject for undergraduates.
Furthermore, it is made clear that all significant parties were consulted throughout the development of HEC Undergraduate Education Policy V 1.1. (2023), and the policy was finalized as a result. It should be mentioned that HEC has designed a curriculum for a full-fledged specialized degree program in Urdu, which is published on the HEC website, and that this program is offered at the undergraduate level.
For the general education component, 32 credits are the minimum required in all undergraduate degree programs, including associate degree programs. Regarding the optional topics, universities are free to establish extra courses as needed, including Urdu, for which HEC has not imposed any restrictions.
The policy’s main goal is to advance student learning, which is defined as the capacity to understand and apply conceptual information, gain professional skills and competencies, and behave as a person who upholds strong civic and ethical ideals of inclusivity and tolerance.The Higher Education Commission (HEC) is still dedicated to working with colleges to make sure that undergraduate education fulfills national and international requirements while still being relevant to the workforce.
