Government of Pakistan has appointed Higher Education Commission (erstwhile UGC) as the competent authority for the supervision of curricula and text-books beyond class XII. HEC has also been entrusted to maintain the standards of education in keeping with the nation’s changing social and economic needs which are compatible with the basic national ideology. The aim is to ascend from general education to more purposeful agro-technical education. The Curriculum Section guides all Degree colleges, Universities and other Institutions of higher learning in designing curricula that provides appropriate content regarding Basic Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities along with Engineering and Technology. It also guides them to establish minimum standards for good governance and management of Institutions. HEC may also advise the Chancellor of any institution on its statutes and regulation. Educational programs are thus designed not only to meet the needs of the employment market but to promote the study of Basic and Applied Sciences in every field of national and international importance. HEC may also advise the Chancellor of any institution on its statutes and regulations. 

• Minimum Criteria for M.Phil and PhD Programmes
• Standard Operating Procedure for Curriculum Revision (SOP)
• National Curriculum Revision Committee
• HEC Approved Curriculum
• List of Experts
• Proforma for constitution of NCRC 
• Roadmap for Business Education
• Framework for 4-Year Integrated Curricula For Bachelor Degree In Basic, Social, Natural And Applied Sciences
• Framework for BS Engineering Program

Curriculum of a subject is said to be the throbbing pulse of a nation. By looking at the curriculum of a subject, one can judge the state of intellectual development and the state of progress of a nation. The world has turned into a global village where new ideas and information are pouring in a constant stream. It is, therefore, imperative to update our curricula by introducing the recent developments in the relevant fields of knowledge.

In exercise of the powers conferred by Sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Federal Supervision of Curricula Textbooks and Maintenance of standards of Education Act 1976, Higher Education Commission has been appointed as  the Competent Authority to look into  the Curriculum Revision Work beyond Class XII at Bachelor level and onwards regarding all Degrees, Certificates and Diplomas awarded by Degree Colleges, Universities and other Institutions of higher education.

In pursuance of the above decisions and directives, the commission is continually performing curriculum revision in collaboration with the Universities. According to the decision of the 44th Vice-Chancellors’ Committee, curriculum of a subject must be reviewed after every 3 years. For this purpose, various Committees are constituted at the national level comprising senior teachers nominated by the Universities. Teachers from local degree colleges and experts from user organizations, where required, are also included in these Committees.

STEPS INVOLVED IN CURRICULUM REVIEW/REVISION PROCESS

The curriculum review and revision process has been divided in two phases; 

PHASE-I Curricula under consideration. 

PHASE – II Circulation of the draft curriculum, the details of step involve in the said process under each phase is as follows:

PHASE-I 

Step – I      

Constitution of National Curriculum Revision Committee (NCRC) in the subject

The Vice-Chancellors of all public and private sector universities, R&D organizations,Directorate of colleges and industries in relation to the subject under consideration, are requested to nominate their representatives, for appointment of National Curriculum Review Committee (NCRC). 

Step –II      

Assessment/Analysis of the existing curriculum

The existing curricula is circulated amongst the members of NCRC to discuss it with their colleagues  and bring collective proposals for review and revision of existing curricula in relation to:

a)   Objectives (of teaching the subject)

b)   Scheme of studies

c)   Course-content

d)   Weightage

e)   Reading materials

f)   Teaching strategies

g)   Methods of evaluation.

In this way participation of maximum number of subject experts is ensured. 

Step – III    

NCRC Meeting-I:  Draft Preparation

The first meeting of the NCRC is organized at the HEC Headquarter Islamabad or one of its Regional Centers at Peshawar, Lahore and Karachi, where maximum local input could be made available in the exercise of revising a curriculum.  Other universities at different places may also be chosen to serve the purpose. The meeting which normally runs for 3 days consecutively comes up with a draft of the revised curricula, after detail discussion and deliberation on the proposals prepared by the NCRC members. 

PHASE – II     

Circulation of the Draft Curriculum

Step – IV   

Appraisal of the first draftThe Ist draft prepared is circulated among the local as well expatriate Pakistani experts, universities, institutions and organization soliciting their views for its further improvement. The view/recommendations collected on the Ist draft curriculum were deliberated upon to design and finalize the curriculum of specific subject of study in a final meeting. 

Step – V    

NCRC meeting-II

Finalization of draftThe second meeting of the NCRC is held to finalize the draft of the revised curriculum in the light of comments/suggestions/ recommendations received from the college and university teachers and institutions all over the country.  The meeting would again take 3 days to finalize a curriculum. The draft so finalized support expertise of all faculty members of the subject under consideration, who are directly or indirectly involved in this process. 

Implementation