Higher Education Commission’s Degree Attestation System was designed for applicants’ facilitation but it would rather have turned a source of pain for them due to the frustrating procedure it has.

The procedure for online verification of degree seems very simple but in reality, it’s totally a different game

Students have expressed their anger while saying that system should address their problem than helping in their pains. They also said that whenever wanted to proceed came across with numerous problems because of no familiarity with the system. They added that the system is extremely complicated that sometimes it won’t work.

The procedure for online degree attestation system is that the applicant has to create an account on a web link (http://eportal.hec.gov.pk)  after account confirmation an online application is to be filled with uploading scanned copies of the documents. The application will be scrutinized by HEC head office and regional centers selected by applicants. An SMS or email will be sent out HEC to the applicant to visit according to the schedule according to the new online degree attestation system.

Akram Abbasi, a student of Quaid-e-Azam University, said that the procedure is not simple as the HEC had shown, every time they trying to access the portal for degrees attestation a message “Forbidden: Access is denied” appeared on the screen. He also added in case someone forgets to password no new profile with identical ID will be confirmed by HEC website. If contacted officials they will not respond.

A senior official in the HEC said that they had and are receiving countless complaints about the online degrees attestation system stopped working. He also confessed that the officials did not reply to complaints on the website and did not receive calls.

“The idea to help the students in attesting their degrees but ill-fated for the reason that policies are made without suitable homework that proves counterproductive,” he added.

Sultan Shahid, a graduate working with an NGO, said that he attempted his profile with same CNIC when he had forgotten the password of his formerly made profile but same CNIC cannot be used for the second time. Repeated request for help also had proven to be futile practice.

Faisal Javed, another student, said the link of the system was often down and no updates that when it will be corrected.

Syed Asif Hussain, a teacher, said that the degree attestation from the HEC is a mind-boggling task because users are uneducated in this regard and if problems persist no one was there to guide because officials of HEC had no time to entertain the complainants. He lamented that how can an applicant file an application online when the link is not working.

Another student claimed that he succeeded in creating a profile but the website was not accessible. He repeatedly requested for guidance but in vain. When Ayesha Akram, HEC director media, she also did do not receive any calls despite recurrent efforts.