ISLAMABAD: The only university of Pakistan that had been ranked among the top 500 universities of South Asia – Qauid-i-Azam University (QAU) – has made more than 50 percent enrolment on self-finance basis in bachelor of sciences (BS) programmes this year, Daily Times has learnt. Well informed sources in the university disclosed that for the first time since its inception; the university’s incumbent administration has increased the number of self-financed seats, which is sheer discrimination with eligible and genius students who could not get admission due to lack of funds. As per the statistics, the university displayed a total of 1,328 names, including 670 who had applied on self-finance basis, in the first merit list for various BS programmes in over 20 different categories, including chemistry, computer sciences, earth sciences, electronics, information technology, mathematics, physics, statistics, pharmacy, management sciences, anthropology, sociology, defence and strategic studies, economics, department of history, politics and international relations (IR), gender studies, psychology and Pakistan studies. The first list stated that the university enrolled 99 students in BS (archaeology) programme. Of them 38 were on self-finance basis. In bio-chemistry, 50 candidates were declared successful and among them 23 had applied on self-finance basis. Similarly, 28 students out of total 55 made it to the first merit list for BS (Bio-information). Almost same is the ratio of self-finance seats in other categories, including BS biotechnology, botany, chemistry, electronics, international relations, microbiology, political science and environment science programmes. Moreover, 18 out of 150 students in BS economics were given admission under self-finance scheme. Besides, the university also preferred such schemes in bachelor in law, information technology, pharmacy, statistics and computer sciences. A QAU official, requesting anonymity, said it was the worst example of mismanagement. “After some alleged irregularities and funds embezzlement, the high authorities have now started looting wretched students,” she said. She added, “Although the university had increased 50 percent overall fee in the last few years, even then the fee structure was not painful for brilliant students. The university charges same fee Rs 7,922 from both regular and self-finance national students for first semester of BS programmes. However, there is a huge difference in per semester fee of open merit and self-financed scheme, which is Rs 59,022 and Rs 91,838, respectively. QAU Vice Chancellor Dr Javed Ashraf said that such practice was done due to shortage of funds. Published in Daily Times, January 15th 2018.