ISLAMABAD: Faculty members and students have criticised the National Curriculum Review Committee on Business Education for recommending 18 years of study for the completion of Master of Business Administration (MBA).

The NCRC on business education was formed in 2004 to ensure a uniform curriculum in higher education all over the country.

The committee works under the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and its recommendations on curriculum and duration of courses have to be implemented by all the institutions of business education.

However, critics are of the view that MBA should be done in 16 years and if it is necessary to increase the years, 18 years of study should also be made compulsory for all master level courses.

A meeting of the NCRC on business education, presided over by Dean Faculty of Management Sciences Riphah International University, Islamabad, Prof Mohammad Amanullah Khan, was held at the HEC regional centre in Karachi on April 28 and 29. Out of about 150 business schools and faculties across the country, only 30, mostly small private universities, sent their representatives to the meeting. Those who chose to stay away included Quaid-i-Azam University, Karachi University, University of Punjab, LUMS, IBA Karachi, Peshawar University, Bahauddin Zakriya University, Islamia University Bahawalpur, Comsats and FAST.

According to minutes of the meeting, it was decided that from Fall 2014, 18 years education would be required for the completion of MBA. Those who want to do BBA after intermediate would have to study for four years and then another two years in MBA. Students who want to complete MBA after BA would have to study for four years.

A faculty member of the QAU requesting anonymity said because of the decision the capacity of the institutions would be affected as they would have to retain students for four years.

“The entry of the youth into workforce will also be delayed because they will graduate late. The cost of education would almost double due to the addition of three more semesters. Besides, it would be causing other social problems particularly for female students who instead of earning a masters degree at an average age of 21 years would graduate at the age of 23.5 years,” he said.

“It would also discourage the youth to join such a lengthy programme which can further affect the enrollment in higher education sector,” he said.

Mohammad Iftikhar, a student, while talking to Dawn said though BA was completed after 14 years of studies and BBA after 16 years, BA and BBA are the minimum qualifications for appearing in the Central Superior Services (CSS) exams.

“Both BBA and BA degree holders get jobs in the same basic pay scales so why should students waste their time and money for a degree,” he said.

Former director of the Institute of Management Sciences Bahauddin Zakriya University Prof Dr Saiqa Imtiaz Asif said when she headed the institute she was informed that the decision to introduce four-year MBA was being taken to reduce the flow of fresh graduates in the market.

“However, I believe that rather than revising the duration of study, market experience of the students should be increased. Our market is very small and it requires experienced employees. Unfortunately, educational institutions have been concentrating on producing more graduates instead of preparing them as per requirement of the market.”

Dr Syed Hassan Raza, Associate Professor Department of Administrative Sciences Allama Iqbal Open University, added that in 2007 it was proposed that MBA should be of 18 years.“I believe that MBA should be of 16 years because increasing the years of education will affect the social structure of the country. Parents want their daughters get married after reaching a certain age. Boys want to get jobs as soon as possible and help their parents financially,” he said.

Prof Dr Naheed Zia Khan, Dean Faculty of Management Sciences Fatima Jinnah Women University, was in favour of the decision. She told Dawn that at the international level bachelor’s degree was awarded after 16 years of study.

“After partition, there were capacity issues in Pakistan and India so the international standards were ignored. Time has come we followed the international standards.

Dean, Faculty of Management Sciences Riphah International University Prof Mohammad Amanullah Khan, who presided over the meeting of the NCRC, told Dawn that there were lots of confusion regarding MBA such as students with MS degrees are allowed to do PhD but MBA students are not.

“Because of the structural changes of NCRC, now MBA students will be able to get admission to PhD. A simple decision has been taken that students having 16 years of education will be awarded 32 credit hours which are required for admission to MBA,” he said.

Vice Chancellor QAU Dr Prof Dr Etzaz Ahmed said the CNRC had taken the decision in haste and it was not possible for them to implement it in 2014.

“We have admitted students in BBA which has to be completed in three-and-a-half-years. How can we increase the course by six months? We will take up the issue with the board of studies of the university and if it approves the recommendation, it will be sent to the syndicate,” he said.

“We can go back to the HEC if the boards of studies do not agree with the decision. Anyhow, it will take a year to implement the recommendation,” he said.