LAHORE: The Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) has put the future of scores of students at stake as the varsity is offering bachelors of architecture (B Arch) programme without mandatory accreditation by the Pakistan Council of Architects and Town Planners (PCATP), Daily Times has learnt.
According to the accreditation list available with Daily Times, the PCATP has listed B Arch programme of the LCWU in the NOC-granted programmes, but it was clearly mentioned that the B Arch programme at the Department of Architecture would be inducted after May 2017. However, as per details and information, LCWU started its B Arch programme in 2012 and awarded admissions to 30 students.
Also the result of the first batch (2012-2017) has not been declared by the LCWU even after the completion of the programme in August 2017. Even the final year thesis jury had not been conducted, which was scheduled in August last year.
“The LCWU and administration department was deliberately not holding the final jury of the first batch students as the programme had not been accredited by the PCATP. Students of architecture studies cannot get job until they have degree from the PCATP-accredited institute or university,” an insider, wishing not to be named, told Daily Times.
Since the start of the programme, 30 students were enrolled in 2012 and 30 in 2013. There were no admissions to the programme in 2014 and 2015. However, 60 students were given admission in 2016 and 35 in 2017.
Moreover, students of the first batch were not awarded degrees at the recently held convocation of the LCWU.
Given the gravity of the situation, B Arch students wrote a letter to LCWU Vice Chancellor Dr Uzma Qureshi on January 15, 2018, requesting her to intervene into the matter and finalise a date for their final thesis jury.
“We the students of Architecture Batch 2012-2017 request you to finalise a date for our final thesis jury, originally to be held in the mid of August 2017 and has not happened till date. We are looking forward to take admission to master programmmes and apply for jobs for which degree completion is necessary,” the letter reads, a copy of which is available with Daily Times.
“We have received our 9th semester transcripts and earlier in November we were asked to submit our thesis research booklets, which were submitted but ever since none of the thesis advisers has been called to discuss the reports. We are under the impression that the university has neglected our case entirely. We, therefore, request you to kindly resolve our issue. We were given admission to the university with the promise that we would pass out in 2017.”
When contacted, LCWU Vice Chancellor Dr Uzma Qureshi was of the view that she had taken notice of the issue and had directed officials concerned to solve the matter. When asked about the accreditation of the batch by the PCATP, Qureshi said that the issue would be resolved soon as she had directed Archaeology Department chairman to get it done.
Published in Daily Times, March 11th 2018.