ISLAMABAD: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has announced a major policy change by making entry tests compulsory for admission to MS, MPhil and PhD programmes across Pakistan from the Fall 2026 semester.
Under the revised policy, public and private universities will no longer be permitted to conduct separate admission tests for graduate-level programmes. Instead, admissions will now rely on standardised examinations conducted under the HEC framework, including the Graduate Assessment Test (GAT), Higher Education Aptitude Test (HAT), and Graduate Record Examination (GRE), depending on the specific programme requirements.
According to officials, the HEC introduced the changes after revising several provisions of the Graduate Education Policy 2023 to strengthen merit-based admissions and improve transparency within the higher education sector.
The commission stated that the decision aims to establish a uniform national system for graduate admissions by ensuring fairness, consistency, and improved academic standards at universities nationwide. Officials believe the move will also reduce disparities in admission procedures between institutions and create a more transparent evaluation process for applicants.
Moreover, the HEC directed all public and private sector universities to immediately implement the updated policy and align their admission procedures with the new testing requirements before the beginning of the Fall 2026 academic session.
Education experts said the standardised admission framework could help improve the overall quality of postgraduate education by introducing a common assessment system for students seeking admission to advanced degree programmes.
The policy is expected to affect thousands of students applying for graduate studies each year, particularly those preparing for admissions in engineering, social sciences, management sciences, medical, and technology-related disciplines. Universities are also likely to issue revised admission schedules and eligibility criteria in accordance with the HEC’s updated guidelines in the coming months.
