If MS and LLM Are Equal to MPhil Then Why the Discrimination? Professor Jamshed Khan

If MS and LLM Are Equal to MPhil Then
Why the Discrimination?
Professor Jamshed Khan

Education-Friendly Claims and the Question of Injustice with Degree Holders.Chairman, College Teachers Movement Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Peshawar:(Special Correspondent), according to Global Times Media Europe, Chairman of the College Teachers Movement Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Professor Jamshed Khan said that the real measure of a society’s progress is not how beautifully its rulers speak about education but what they practically do with those who pursue knowledge. Unfortunately, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the discriminatory attitude emerging toward MS and LLM degree holders regarding the monthly Rs. 2,500 MPhil allowance is not only logically incomprehensible but also raises a major question mark over all claims of being education-friendly. There is now very little room for ambiguity in this matter.
HEC Has Already Clarified the Status of MPhil and MS
On 23 May 2017, the Higher Education Commission issued a formal letter clearly stating that MPhil and MS degrees are basically degrees of an equivalent level. The letter also explained both forms. For MPhil or MS with research, 24 credit hours of coursework and 6 credit hours of thesis are prescribed while in the coursework option, both require 30 credit hours. HEC clearly stated that the difference is only in the name or terminology.
The Ministry of Finance Has Further Clarified the Matter
The matter does not end here. Today, that is 14 September 2026, the Ministry of Finance, Government of Pakistan, has further clarified the issue through a fresh Office Memorandum. It states that the MPhil allowance does not necessarily have to be restricted only to a degree bearing the name MPhil. Rather, individuals holding HEC-recognized equivalent degrees such as MS and LLM may also be given this benefit. The memorandum declares this facility effective from 17 July 2026.
The Question Before the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government Is Very Simple
Now the question is very simple and straightforward. When the country’s highest educational authority has already recognized that MPhil and MS are basically equivalent degrees. When both have the same credit hours and research requirements. When the Ministry of Finance itself has directed that holders of HEC-recognized equivalent degrees should be included within the scope of the MPhil allowance, then what is the logic behind depriving MS degree holders in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of the same allowance?
Does the Name of a Degree Determine a Teacher’s Academic Worth?
Does merely having MS written instead of MPhil in the name of a degree reduce a teacher’s academic competence??? If this is not something extraordinary then what is it?
Does a person who has conducted research according to the same standard become less deserving simply because the name of his or her degree is MS??? And if that is the case, then what remains of HEC’s clear position regarding equivalent degrees?
The Issue Is Not Merely Rs. 2,500
The matter here is not merely the Rs. 2,500 per month which is equivalent to a handout and makes a mockery of knowledge. This amount may perhaps not even place any significant burden on the government treasury but behind it stands a principle.
That principle is equality. It is recognition of academic effort. It is respect for research. And it is respect for the educational standards established by the state’s own institutions.
Rs. 2,500 Is an Educational Allowance Not Charity
Rs. 2,500 is not Zakat that may be granted to one person and denied to another. It is an educational allowance whose purpose is to encourage higher academic qualifications and research capability.
If this right has been recognized for MPhil then depriving a teacher holding an MS or LLM degree declared equivalent by HEC of this allowance is a form of discrimination that requires a strong legal and logical justification which cannot be found even after searching for it.
The Real Test of Being Education-Friendly
This is also the real test of being education-friendly. Increasing the number of universities. Announcing educational projects. And speaking in speeches about the bright future of young people are easy tasks.
True commitment to education means that when a teacher spends millions of rupees from his or her own pocket to acquire higher education. When that teacher conducts research. Writes a thesis. And improves academic qualifications. The state should recognize that effort.
An Appeal to All MS Degree Holders in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
We also appeal to all MS degree holders in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa not to remain silent but to adopt constitutional, legal and institutional channels for their rights.
They should obtain their degrees with formal verification and equivalent status from their respective universities and HEC and submit their MPhil allowance cases to the government through their respective departments and directorates.
This is not the personal fight of an individual. It is not merely a protest against any particular party or government. It is a case for academic equality which we will fight in every possible way.
If the Allowance Is Refused Then the Legal Basis Must Be Presented
And if at any point the allowance is refused on the basis of an MS degree that has been declared equivalent by HEC then the legal and administrative basis for that refusal should also be brought before the public.
If MS degree holders are still deprived of their legitimate right despite this then we will be prepared for peaceful and constitutional protest and a sit-in in front of the Finance Department at the Civil Secretariat Peshawar.
We do not want confrontation with the government. We only want the state to respect the decision of its own educational institution HEC.
If MPhil Is Knowledge Then MS Is Also Knowledge
If MPhil is knowledge then MS is also knowledge.
If MPhil is research then MS and LLM are also research.If MPhil is recognition of eighteen years of education then according to HEC, MS and LLM also hold the same academic status.The Final Question Is About Equality
Then there is only one question.When the degrees are equal then why the discrimination in the allowance?
And perhaps this is the question that the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will now have to answer to those teachers who for years have been keeping the light of knowledge, research and education burning.