The National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) trained 71,000 students during 2025, including 6,200 from Balochistan and 43,000 from Punjab, a Senate panel was informed on Wednesday.
The briefing was given during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training, chaired by Bushra Anjum Butt, which took up an agenda forwarded by Rana Mahmood-ul-Hassan.
Five-Year Review of NAVTTC
The agenda focused on NAVTTC’s functioning, transparency, financial management, selection criteria, third-party evaluation mechanisms, and performance outcomes over the past five years. Committee members were informed that NAVTTC’s primary mandate is qualification development and framework implementation.
Responding to a question on regional quotas, officials clarified that no fixed quota exists for South Punjab.
Budget, Per-Student Costs, and Allegations
NAVTTC told the Committee that its annual budget is Rs7 billion, with average expenditure per student ranging between Rs80,000 and Rs140,000. Officials explained that, following steering committee approval, joint accounts are opened between NAVTTC and partner institutions, and funds are disbursed directly to institutions delivering training courses.
However, a student representative from South Punjab present at the meeting contested the figures, claiming that only Rs1,500 per student was being provided for training.
Taking note of the conflicting claims, the Chair announced the formation of a sub-committee headed by Kamran Murtaza to probe the matter, identify institutions allegedly involved in embezzlement under NAVTTC’s name, and fix responsibility.
PIFD Meeting Declared Null and Void
On a separate agenda item, the Committee declared a meeting held at the Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design (PIFD) null and void, terming it malafide and against prescribed rules.
Senator Butt questioned how a Vice Chancellor—already facing an inquiry for allegedly governing above the rules and remaining in office for over 25 years—could continue to function and reportedly treat the position as an inherited right, including alleged plans to facilitate the appointment of her sister as Vice Chancellor.
She stated that the Committee declares the Vice Chancellor retired and the meeting malafide in intent, adding that no post or seat should have been allotted until clearance of the inquiry. The Committee also objected to her absence from previous meetings and referred the matter to the Privilege Committee for an explanation.
Questions were also raised about the opening of a hostel when only six months remained before the Vice Chancellor’s retirement. The case was referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Finance to determine whether actions were taken beyond lawful authority.
Provincial Visits and Fake Degree Verification
Emphasizing institutional accountability, Senator Butt said the Committee’s actions were not against individuals but against the practice of running public institutions as private businesses. She announced provincial visits to universities under the Committee’s domain to assess compliance with rules.
Addressing concerns over fake degrees, she said a permanent help desk would be established at the Higher Education Commission (HEC) for assessment and verification.
“Students will not pay for our negligence. I will get to the root of all institutions which were unverified. We will collect exact data on fake degrees and will not allow them to pass through lenience, while ensuring students get their due rights,” she said.
The Secretary assured the Committee that the help desk would be set up immediately.
