Senate body approves bill for setting up University

The Senate Standing Committee on Science and Technology on Wednesday approved "The National University of Technology Bill, 2017" to establish the university, first of its kind, with the Chief of Army Staff shall be the ex officio chairman of the board of governors of the varsity. The committee which met with Osman Saifullah Khan in the chair approved the bill with amendments envisaging regulating and certifying technical skill development in affiliated institutes to make it responsive to the current and future needs of the industry and prospective opportunities offered by China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The committee proposed amendments in process of appointment of rector of the university, which would be appointed through a search committee. The university would resume academic activities from September 2018. The committee was appraised that technical and skilled manpower is the backbone and driving force for the economic development of a nation, particularly in industrial and defence sectors and prospects thereto in the 21st century. In economically developed countries, knowledge-based and technological education is, therefore, accorded particular importance. However, in Pakistan, technological education sector has generally remained ignored and under-developed.
To serve the purpose, a bill for the establishment of National University of Technology (NUTECH) was drafted through inter-ministerial consultation and forwarded to the cabinet for its approval in principle. The cabinet considered the recommendations of the Cabinet Committee for the Disposal of Legislative Cases (CCLC) in its meeting held on 06-02-2017, and accorded approval in principle to the draft Bill for the establishment of NUTECH.
After the approval, the NUTECH bill was forwarded to Law and Justice Division for vetting. The Law Division vetted the bill and the amendments proposed by the Law Division were incorporated accordingly. A summary on the NUTECH bill was again forwarded to the cabinet, for the approval of its introduction in the Parliament. Following the approval of the cabinet, the NUTECH bill was then forwarded to the Parliamentary Affairs Division, through Law Justice & Human Rights Division, for its introduction in the National Assembly.
The NUTECH Bill 2017 was passed by the National Assembly on November 20, 2017 and was transmitted to the Senate on December 04, 2017. The NUTECH Bill was introduced in the Senate, in its sitting held on December 12, 2017, by the federal minister for science & technology. The chairman Senate referred it to the Standing Committee on Science & Technology for consideration and report.
Senator Azam Swati said that fake degree awarding institutions are looting the public. The minister for science and technology said that with the NUTECH, all skilled institutions would be affiliated with it and it would enable to overcome the issue of fake degrees and diplomas. Taking notice of allegations of embezzlement in National Testing Service (NTS), PSQCA and COMSTA, the committee decided to take the issues on agenda of the coming meetings where all the people concerned would be invited.