ISLAMABAD: In a good development the Higher Education Commission (HEC) has recently announced MS/MPhil and Undergraduate Programme scholarships for Balochistan and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) but the sanctioned amount for the purpose is unknown, Daily Times learnt. According to the details the HEC announced that students enrolled in the MS/MPhil would get 200 scholarships and those who wished to have undergraduate degree programmes across Balochistan and the FATA would get 500 scholarships from the HEC. According to the HEC announcement, the Balochistan students would be given 100 scholarships while the same figure has been specified for the FATA region students. Moreover, to escalate education rate in these two regions, the HEC recently has also announced 500 scholarships for the undergraduate students belong to both places. An official in the HEC said in the condition of anonymity that there was a prescribed procedure with the department for the approval of such mega level scholarships. “The HEC has with it the complete record of the sanctioned amount for each and every scholarship. When asked why the department is reluctant to make the sanctioned amount public, he claimed “may be some corrupt elements intended to pocketing money while concealing the amount”. Moreover, according to a recent official statement, HEC has awarded 70 scholarships, 10 for PhD, 20 for Masters and 50 for Bachelors students. Whereas, a group of 20 Deans and Registrars from different higher education institutions of the county have been planned to attend a Leadership Training Programme from August 10 to16 at the University of Glasgow, UK. The approved amount for such developments was also unknown. When contacted repeatedly to find his comments about the matter Chairperson HEC Mukhtar Ahmed was not available. The information about planned scholarships could not be revealed. However, according to the HEC official website the successful students would be given an average tuition fee and other charges including hostel fee fixed on Rs 60,000 per semester and Rs 6,000 per month with Rs 500 annual increments for residence purpose. Moreover, the money also determined for books, transportation as well as for the initial settlement. While commenting on the undergraduates scholarships for which the applications submission deadline fixed on August 26, the official said some 2000 applicants are also being expected. The information available suggests that the students belong to all discipline were eligible to apply for the announced scholarships. An official in the HEC wished anonymity said that the commission received 5500 applications from the Masters/M.Phil students desiring for scholarships. They were enrolled in various disciplines, he said, adding that such large number was even beyond expectation of the commission because, he added, the literacy rate was not so significant in the both places (Balochistan and FATA). As per HEC media wing’s requirement, when asked through an email about the matter, the spokesperson Aayesha Ikram simply replied “at vision 2025 function”.