Daily Times

During the current Covid-19 crisis, Higher Education Commission (HEC) has issued multiple guidelines for Universities to continue academic activities for engaging students through online mode of education. The recent guidelines issued last week are specifically for those post-graduate students who have completed their course work and are ready to appear for the comprehensive examination. Guidelines are divided into two parts; one is the background, and the other is about the process to be adopted by the Universities.

The background part describes that due to suspension of face to face teaching and learning activities, universities and students have raised queries with HEC regarding carrying out the comprehensive exams for Ph.D., research proposal presentations for M.Phil/MS students, evaluations of the thesis, public defense, student supervisor meetings, etc. Students have fears that if there is a delay in any of these activities, they will be charged semester fee. Also, they may cross the maximum time limit given for the completion of the degree by HEC, i.e. four years for M.Phil/MS and eight years for Ph.D. The document clearly states that it is developed to address above mentioned steps of post-graduate degrees.

The process part of the document comprises thirteen points which are given in step by step manner. The Universities are given authorized to conduct defense through online mode for research proposal or thesis during Covid-19 restrictions, which may extend beyond August 30, 2020. The authorization is linked with the approval of the process by the respective head of the university who may designate respective academic head, i.e. Director or Dean for planning the comprehensive examination, M.Phil/MS and Ph.D. defense etc. in consultation with examination department. The approval of the process by the relevant statutory bodies i.e. Board of Advance Studies and Research or equivalent, is also required.

Universities are required to publicize their details through various modes so that students may directly submit their research work and get the status of their submissions or next steps in the process

As per HEC criteria for the award of M.Phil/MS and Ph.D. degrees, the theses are submitted through the department to the Examination department, which makes arrangements for external and internal evaluation. The current guidelines do require following the same process with a proper designation of some official whom all students will submit their theses. Universities are required to publicize their details through various modes so that students may directly submit their research work and get the status of their submissions or next steps in the process. The format of the thesis or project reports will remain the same only their mode is changed from hardcopy to softcopy as most of the University officials are also working from home. Therefore, electronic documents can be further forwarded to external or internal reviewers through email. Their responses are accepted through electronic means, which Universities were already accepting in a traditional mode as well.

The process for public defense is further explained, and it states that universities will be required to circulate public defense date and time among their students, along with other relevant stakeholders who may be interested in joining the defense. This arrangement will be carried out when the university has received satisfactory reports from the external and internal reviewers. The public defense requires proper registration of participants, and for that, google forms or Microsoft forms may be used. The registered participants will then receive a link for final defense, which can be conducted through different communication tools such as Zoom, Google Meet, MS Teams, Skype etc.

The university is required to test the session with external and internal examiners before the actual session for checking the stability of internet connection, clear voice, and video transmission. If there is any disruption on the day the actual defense event is carried out, then it may be paused till the stable connection is in place. The whole event needs to be recorded in the same manner as defense through video conference is recorded and placed on the HEC website. An electronic signature of stakeholders can be used after the result is approved by the head of the university. The result is to be announced through designated authority, which is the examination department in most of the Universities.

Further, during informal interaction, most of the faculty members have emphasized for arranging training for this new mode of teaching and learning. They believe that they are hired for the face to face mode of teaching and learning but during the current scenario. However, they are willing to comply with University directions, but without proper training, it will be difficult to meet the required standards. They are also of the opinion that faculty members are compelled to do most of the online activities of course development, conducting online classes, responding to the student queries, which has increased their workload per student. They have opined that universities may design an online system in consultation with faculty members; every subject has different requirements in online transmission, which can be sorted out through the consultative process. In this regard, they think that if content developed by Virtual University or other Universities in form video lectures and lecture notes may be referred for their courses. The faculty member should be available online for responding to the queries of the students and moderation of LMS activities. It is the responsibility of the university to assess online readiness as per HEC guidelines, and necessary arrangements may be made for successful online education.

The author is Dy. Director at Higher Education Commission; Islamabad and he can be reached at muneermirjat@gmail.com