ISLAMABAD, May 11 — The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has formally requested the federal government to increase the recurring budget for public sector universities to Rs100 billion for the 2026-27 fiscal year. While the government’s initial Indicative Budgetary Ceiling (IBC) remained stagnant at Rs65 billion—a figure unchanged since 2017—the HEC warned that persistent resource constraints are causing “acute financial stress” across the country’s academic landscape. The commission estimated that a total of Rs138 billion is actually needed to offset inflationary pressures and the expansion of the university network over the last nine years.
Quick Facts
- HEC is seeking a Rs35 billion increase over the current Rs65 billion recurring budget.
- The federal budget ceiling for higher education has remained stagnant since FY 2017-18.
- Enrolment growth and salary increases have created an additional financial impact of Rs120 billion.
- Rs10 billion is specifically required to sustain 24 federally chartered universities and research centers.
- Rs5 billion is earmarked for salary increases for Tenure Track System (TTS) faculty following court directions.
- The request aligns with the National Fiscal Pact 2025, which mandates increasing education spending as a share of GDP.
The HEC highlighted that federally chartered institutions, which rely entirely on federal support, are the most vulnerable to these funding gaps. The proposed Rs35 billion enhancement includes Rs10 billion for these federal institutions, Rs10 billion for financially stressed provincial universities, and Rs10 billion for new research initiatives. According to HEC documents, the failure to increase funding has significantly impacted academic functions and institutional sustainability at a time when regional benchmarks for education financing are rising.
Executive Director HEC, Prof. Dr. Ziaul Haq, has reportedly reached out to both the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance to emphasize the urgency of the request. The commission noted that the structural financing gap is widening, particularly as the government continues to announce salary hikes without corresponding increases in the HEC’s baseline grant. Officials argue that without the requested Rs100 billion, universities will struggle to maintain basic quality standards and provide equitable access to students across the country.
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