Pakistan’s Ministry of Education has revealed that 145 illegal educational institutions are operating across the country, raising alarms about the validity of degrees being issued.
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) presented the findings in the National Assembly, exposing widespread violations of academic standards.
According to the report, Punjab has the highest number of unrecognized institutions with 94, followed by Sindh with 34, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 11, and Islamabad and Azad Kashmir with two each.
These institutions lack HEC accreditation and do not meet the commission’s criteria for higher education, making their degrees invalid and unrecognized.
HEC has launched enforcement actions, including admission bans and warning notices, and has published a full list of illegal institutions on its official website.
Students and parents have been urged to verify accreditation before applying to avoid academic and professional setbacks.
“Degrees from these institutions hold no legal value,” HEC officials warned, stressing the need for vigilance.
Closure efforts are ongoing as authorities push to safeguard educational standards and protect students from fraud.
For the updated list of banned institutions, visit the HEC official website.