Research Students Seek One Year Extension In Study Time Period

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Jul, 2020 ) :Welcoming the government's decision for reopening of the educational institutions by September 15, the research students of post graduate studies (higher education) have demanded of the authorities concerned to extend their study time period from six month to one year for completion of research work.

In a joint statement issued here on Tuesday, they said that as the government has also announced the opening of research labs in universities only for research students just after Eid ul Azha, but unfortunately now the time is over to complete our thesis.

"Our precious time of research work is wasted due to the pandemic coronavirus. Now we are unable to submit our thesis within limited time" they added.

Therefore, the research students and supervisors are waiting for a clear announcement by the Higher Education Commission (HEC), for extension in time period.

The BS, MS and PhD students have requested the Minister for Federal Education, Chairman Higher Education Commission(HEC), Universities' Vice Chancellors, Chairman Vice Chancellors Committee, and Federations of Universities' faculty to facilitate the research students in that regard.

They said that "as the institutions, labs, are closed and students have been sent to homes.

All hostels are vacated by the administration of all universities across Pakistan so in such circumstances the thesis cannot be continued".

They added many students need traveling in country to conduct surveys and interviews which are not remained easy. Inside the labs work totally closed and belonging chemichals purchase and transport process became more difficult and complex posing a time gain pressure on scholars and supervisors, they maintained.

Even meeting with officials, concerned officers, target population, stake holders and public for questionnaires, surveys, interviews became also difficult and more time requirement has become the dire need of scholars as the pandemic is beyond the human control, the students and supervisors asked.

They went on saying that HEC has not yet announced any policy or announcement about the extension in study period or special time relaxation of 6 months -1 Year, due to Covid-19 pandemic which affected more the students, scholars and supervisors especially for those who are completing 3-4, & 7-8 maximum years for MS& PhD Thesis respectively in these month of June to August 2020.