Foreign PhD programme causes huge financial loss to national exchequer

ISLAMABAD: The official records have revealed that the national exchequer suffered a huge financial loss from foreign PhD programme of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), ARY News reported on Wednesday.

194 out of 500 scholars sent abroad for doctorate studies have skipped returning to the country nor returned the funds, the official documents of HEC revealed.

It stated that the national exchequer suffered a huge financial loss of over Rs1 billion as many of the scholars sent to the United Kingdom (UK), United States (US), Canada, Germany and Australia skipped return.

Moreover, 304 persons have failed to get PhD degrees after being sent abroad, said the documents.

Read: HEC to introduce new policy for ‘direct’ PhD admissions

According to the Higher Education Commission (HEC), it takes approximately Rs8 million to  Rs10 million to spend on a professor holding PhD degree.

However, the overall financial loss soared to around Rs3 billion to the national exchequer due to those who have never returned to the country or failed to complete their studies.

It further stated that only one out of 500 scholars has returned the funds spent on the PhD studies, whereas, the commission registered cases against others that are being heard by the courts.

Following the major setback, the HEC authorities have decided to bring further improvements in the foreign PhD programme.