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Islamabad: September 20th,
2006
The
Higher Education Commission (HEC) has ranked the recognized
research journals in Humanities and Social Sciences being
published in Pakistan. In this regard more than seventy
experts in 18 disciplines of humanities and social sciences
met in Islamabad to determine if more than 125 journals
published in Pakistan meet the criteria approved by the
Higher Education for recognized journals. The Higher
Education Commission had earlier developed minimum standards
for the evaluation of
archival, academic/research journals in Arts, Humanities and
Social Sciences of international repute published in
Pakistan. Prior to approval of the Commission the journal
standards had been extensively debated with all
stakeholders.
Rather
than having a binary mechanism for approved/unapproved
journals, a 4 star rating system
has been devised. According to this star rating
system the degree to which a journal, published in Pakistan,
meets the approved criteria, can be differentiated.
Publication in journals is required for the fulfilment of
various eligibility conditions in the academic institutions
including publication of research work of PhD students,
appointment at professorial ranks in academic institutions
under the BPS system, and appointment at professorial ranks
in academic institutions under the Tenure Track system.
The
journal with 4 star rating will have an Impact Factor and 3
star journals will fully meet the HEC criteria. Publication
in 3 and 4 star rated journals will be valid for
appointments in Tenure Track System as well as BPS system in
addition to enlisting as approved supervisor and for PhD
research publications. Two star journals will be recognized
for appointments in BPS and for approved supervisors as well
as PhD. One to four star journals will be eligible for HEC
financial support until June 30th, 2008, after
which support will only be provided to journals meeting the
HEC Journal standards completely.
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