Hundreds of students from Government Boys College Attock are facing an uncertain future after discovering that their BS degrees cannot be verified by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) because the college's name is missing from the commission's official website. The issue has left as many as 400 graduates worried for months.
Graduates Unable to Apply for Verification
Students said they completed their BS degrees in different subjects from Government Boys College Attock, but when they tried to apply online for degree verification through the HEC portal, they found that the name of Attock College was not listed. Without the college appearing on the portal, the online verification process cannot be initiated.
Several students told this correspondent that some of their classmates had received job offers, but the appointments were conditional on first getting their degrees verified by HEC. “Now our classmates will definitely not be able to get jobs because we cannot apply for verification,” one student said. He added that the delay was causing financial and mental stress for families who had invested years of fees and effort into the four-year program.
Lack of Response from College Administration
Students claimed that when they approached the college administration for help, “no one was ready to listen to our problem.” The lack of response has increased frustration among graduates who are now unable to pursue higher studies or employment that requires HEC attestation.
Professor Abdul Qayyum Khattak of the aforesaid college, when contacted, explained that the college had submitted all required student data to Punjab University, which is the affiliating university for Government Boys College Attock. According to the professor, Punjab University was responsible for uploading the data onto the HEC website for verification purposes. “We reminded them several times but to no avail,” the professor said.
Data Sharing Gaps Blamed
The missing data on the HEC portal means the system does not recognize the degrees issued by the college, even though the students have valid degrees and transcripts issued by Punjab University. Education experts say such delays often occur due to gaps in data sharing between colleges, universities, and HEC, but the impact is directly borne by students.
When contacted, Deputy Director Colleges Attock Professor Sadia Kanwal said the issue had come to her attention a few days ago. She assured that efforts would be made to resolve it “as soon as possible.” Professor Kanwal stated that the Higher Education Department Punjab would coordinate with Punjab University and HEC to ensure the college’s data is uploaded on the verification portal without further delay.
Urgent Need for Resolution
She added that the department recognizes the seriousness of the matter, especially since many students are losing job opportunities due to lack of verification. “Students’ careers cannot be put at risk because of administrative gaps. We will take up this case on priority and ensure a solution,” she said.
For BS graduates, HEC degree attestation is mandatory for government jobs, scholarships, and admissions to higher programs both in Pakistan and abroad. The current situation has left hundreds of students in limbo, despite having completed all academic requirements.
Parents and students have urged Punjab University and HEC to expedite the data upload process so that the graduates can apply for verification and move forward with their careers. They also requested the college administration to establish a dedicated help desk to guide students until the issue is resolved.
Analysts Recommend Digital Tracking System
Education analysts note that timely data sharing between affiliated colleges, universities, and HEC is critical to avoid such problems. They recommend a digital tracking system so students can monitor the status of their degree records in real time. The district administration has been asked to intervene and ensure coordination between all institutions involved.
Students hope that with the Deputy Director Colleges taking notice, the matter will be resolved before more job offers are lost. The Nation contacted PRO Punjab University Lahore, who said that the issue will be taken up with the concerned officials for early redressal.
