President Dr Arif Alvi Friday directed Islamabad Air University to grant an additional year to a student who could not complete her degree due to COVID-19, the 24NewsHD TV channel reported.
Arif Alvi railed against Islamabad Air University for not processing the student’s case timely despite the fact that the policies of HEC and the university regulations provide remedies to resolve such issues by granting an extension.
He said that the University had deviated from HEC’s policy and recommendations without any reason instead of rectifying its maladministration.
Arif Alvi advised the Air University administration to not let the students’ devotion, hard work, and money go to waste and to take measures to help and guide students, especially in the case of women.
According to the details, the student Iqra Munir had filed a complaint before the Federal Ombudsman claiming that she was a student of Bachelor of Science (Hons) in the Psychology program in one of the colleges affiliated with the Air University. Due to Corona coronavirus pandemic, she was unable to complete her degree in 2020. She had approached the University to allow her for completion of her degree but she was advised to contact HEC to allow her an additional year to complete her studies.
The commission advised that the competent authority of the University may reconsider her case for extension keeping in view her medical history and the provisions in the commission’s Policy and university regulations.
Even after a year, she was not given the extension. She approached the Federal Ombudsman who passed the order in her favor. The University then filed a representation before the President against the order of the ombudsman.
Reporter: Awais Kiyani