Rana Tanveer Hussain, Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training, launched the Ph.D. Countries Directory Online System on Tuesday at the Pakistan Secretariat of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), in Islamabad. This means that people who want to now register for a Ph.D. can do it easily without any hassle. The government has made it faster, more efficient, and simpler so anyone and everyone can do it.
The PCD registration procedure for people interested in doing a Ph.D. in Pakistan, the HEC’s traditional Ph.D. Country Directory (PCD) setup has now been automated. Vice Chancellors of several universities, and many Ph.D. students, Chairman HEC Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Executive Director HEC Dr. Shaista Sohail, and others were present during a ceremony held in this regard at the HEC Secretariat.
The HEC Higher Education Data Repository has created the PCD Online System with the assistance of Information Technology (IT) and other Divisions, which allows for the quick addition of Pakistani PhDs to the HEC data through designated university focal persons. This process can be completed within a few days, without the need for hard copy documentation or application submission which makes it that much simpler and easier.
Previously, the PCD procedures would take many months for any processing to happen. But now with a few changes the online system is better than ever. During the ceremony, Rana Tanveer Hussain praised the launch of the PCD Online System and expressed good hopes that it would be beneficial for Ph.D. scholars without any difficulties. He stressed the significance of using technology in institutional operations to simplify the procedures for the public. Additionally, he emphasized the importance of investing in human capital and highlighted the role of HEC in nurturing human resources for the betterment of the country.
Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, the Chairman of HEC, stated that the organization is planning to automate all of its functions and processes in the near future to assist students, faculty, and the general public. He also said that the HEC degree verification system will be linked with the NADRA database to simplify attestation procedures. The main purpose of this initiative, he emphasized, is to enhance effectiveness, increase quality, and provide better facilitation to people.
The HEC HEDR is moving towards a paperless environment and is planning to introduce several new systems in the upcoming months, as announced by its spokesperson. These include an Online Data Collection System, an Online Ranking System, Data warehousing and Analytics, and a Statistical Booklet.