Higher Education Commission (HEC) has officially delayed its policy for compulsory requirement of GRE/HAT for admission in Level 7 and 8 academic programmes until 2027.
The announcement was made in an official notification after some Universities asked for more time to get ready for the new admission system.
Previously, the policy was set to be implemented for admission from 2026. The HEC, however, after discussions with Higher education institutions has determined to defer the implementation of the requirement by one year.
The new timeline will mean that from the 2027 admission cycle, students wishing to be admitted to the advanced degree programmes such as MS, MPhil and PhD will have to fulfil the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) / Higher Aptitude Test (HAT) General and Subject Test criteria.
The commission has also postponed the notification issued on May 13 on the testing policy to be implemented through Education Testing Council, officials said.
The postponement is to give universities enough time for academic, technical, and administrative preparations along with giving ample time for the policy to be implemented, the HEC said.
The extra time will also enable institutions to further prepare for readiness and facilitate the implementation of the testing system in universities across the country, the commission added.
The revised plan will offer more flexibility for universities to tailor their admissions process with minimal hassles for both the colleges and students.
Meanwhile, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) recently launched a fully paperless and digital Degree attestation system (DAS). This will make the attestation process easier for graduates and students across Pakistan.
In the new online system, degree attestation requests can be submitted by the applicant at any time through the official portal “HEC e-Services Portal.”
Also read: How to get HEC degree attestation online: Fee details here
