HEC announces four-day university week under austerity drive

The universities will remain closed on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays nationwide, says HEC notification

ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-April 2^nd, 2026) The Higher Education Commission has announced that universities across the country will operate four days a week as part of an austerity campaign aimed at reducing expenditures.

An official notification said that the universities would remain closed on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays nationwide.

The decision has been taken in line with cost-cutting measures being implemented in the education sector.

The decision has been formally issued by the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training and will apply to institutions operating under the Higher Education Commission as well as the Federal board.

The notification further states that public sector schools will also not hold physical classes on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. However, educational institutions, including universities, may conduct online classes on Fridays.