The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has temporarily suspended admissions in computing and computer science departments of 44 universities and institutions after a majority of their students failed the National Skill Competency Test (NSCT) 2026, The News has learnt.
According to sources close to Quality Assurance Director General Nasir Shah, the move was taken to safeguard academic standards after a large number of students from these universities could not meet the minimum competency benchmarks in the NSCT 2026.
“The HEC has decided to halt fresh admissions as a corrective measure,” the source said. “The suspension will remain in place until institutional audits, quality reviews and necessary approvals from the relevant authority are completed.”
The commission is also issuing a Student Advisory to warn prospective students and parents. “Admissions to computing programmes in the listed universities have been stopped until further notice,” the advisory states. “Students and parents are advised to verify the current status of any institution before applying to its computing programme.”
The institutions placed under review include Alhamd Islamic University (Islamabad Campus and Quetta Campus), Sarhad University of Science & Information Technology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Hazara University, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Engineering & Technology Multan, Women University Mardan, The Women University Multan, Lahore Leads University, University of Swabi, Emaan Institute of Management & Sciences Karachi, Gomal University, Ghazi National Institute of Engineering & Sciences, ILMA University Karachi, Cholistan University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, University of FATA, University of Kotli Azad Jammu & Kashmir, University of Jhang, Kohsar University Murree, University of Technology Nowshera, Benazir Bhutto Shaheed University Lyari, Green International University, University of Makran, Begum Nusrat Bhutto Women University Sukkur, University of Baltistan, University of Science & Technology Lahore, Women University Swabi, University of Loralai, University of Agriculture Peshawar, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University Peshawar, Preston University Islamabad, Women University of Azad Jammu & Kashmir Bagh, University of Lakki Marwat, Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam, Balochistan University of Engineering & Technology Khuzdar, Northern University Nowshera, University of Larkano, University of Sufism & Modern Sciences Bhitshah, University of Buner, Khushal Khan Khattak University Karak, BRAINS Institute Peshawar, Millennium Institute of Technology & Entrepreneurship Karachi, Mohi-ud-Din Islamic University and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences Sakrand.
