HEC Stops New ADP Admissions in Annual and Private Mode

HEC has told universities to stop new admissions to annual and private-mode Associate Degree Programs. Here is what it means for students and parents.

HEC Stops New Admissions to Annual and Private-Mode ADPs: What Students and Parents Need to Know

If you or your child was planning to get an undergraduate degree by studying privately and sitting an annual exam, the rules just changed. In a notification dated 25 September 2026, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) told universities and other higher education institutions to stop making new admissions to Associate Degree Programs (ADPs) offered through the annual system and private-candidate mode.

Taleem Wire went through the reports on the notification and HEC’s earlier policy to explain what it means in plain terms.

What Exactly Has Changed

According to reports on the notification, institutions “must not” make new admissions to ADPs offered through annual or private-candidate modes. They also have to bring their admission advertisements, prospectuses and academic offerings in line with HEC’s Undergraduate Education Policy, and institutions that carry on could face regulatory action under the applicable laws and rules. The reports did not spell out what that action would be.

ADPs themselves have not been abolished. HEC’s policy still recognizes the two-year Associate Degree as a pathway. What has been stopped is the annual-exam, private-candidate version of it.

Why HEC Did This

The background goes back several years. HEC ended the traditional two-year BA and BSc in a 2017 notification and confirmed it in 2019, directing institutions to offer the ADP instead, as reported by an independent news organisation. In June 2024, HEC also publicly warned students and parents against enrolling in two-year BA/BSc programs, as reported by another news organisation.

According to the reports on the latest notification, some institutions kept running ADPs in the old style after the BA/BSc was phased out. In some cases they simply renamed former BA/BSc programs as ADPs without changing the structure or the way they were delivered. HEC regards this as a serious concern, because such programs could cause graduates problems with degree attestation, equivalence, further study and jobs.

What a Compliant ADP Looks Like

Under HEC’s Undergraduate Education Policy (Version 1.1, applicable from Fall 2023), as described by Eduvision and Pakistan Observer, a proper ADP:

• Is a two-year qualification after intermediate, usually four semesters
• Carries 60 to 72 credit hours, made up of 30 credit hours of general education and 30 to 42 credit hours of major courses
• Follows the semester system of examination, not an annual exam
• Is offered by an HEC-recognized university or an authorized affiliated college

Putting “ADP” on an admission form does not make an old annual-exam program compliant.

What Happens to Students Already Enrolled

This is the question many parents will have, and the honest answer is that it is not yet clear. The reports we reviewed say institutions must send HEC consolidated data on students enrolled in these programs: program title, mode of study, enrolment session, number of students enrolled and number of graduates. The data has to be verified by the registrar and the controller of examinations and countersigned by the head of the institution. APP’s report says HEC will use it to assess how to handle students already enrolled or graduated, and adds that this does not mean the programs can continue.

The reports did not give a deadline for the data, any transition arrangement for current students, or the specific penalties.

What Students and Parents Should Do Now

• Ask before you pay. Check that the program follows the semester system and carries 60 to 72 credit hours.
• Verify the institution. Confirm it is on HEC’s recognized lists. According to a news organisation, HEC has directed students to check its published lists of recognized universities, campuses and unrecognized institutions before applying, and HEC will not recognize degrees from institutions that are not on its recognized lists.
• Be careful with “private ADP” ads. Offers for private or annual-exam associate degrees are exactly what the notification targets.
• If you are already enrolled, ask your institution in writing about your program’s status and keep your records, since HEC has not yet said what happens to current students.

This story is part of Taleem Wire’s ongoing coverage of education, education policy, and the people shaping Pakistan’s education sector.