ISLAMABAD – The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has postponed the implementation of mandatory GRE/HAT tests conducted through its Education Testing Council (ETC) for admissions to postgraduate programmes.
According to the decision, the new requirement for GRE/HAT-General and GRE/HAT-Subject tests for Level 7 and Level 8 admissions will now take effect from Fall 2027 instead of Fall 2026.
The move comes after several universities and degree-awarding institutions requested additional time to prepare for the transition and ensure smooth implementation of the new testing system.
HEC Chairman Dr. Niaz Ahmed Akhtar, in a post on X, confirmed that the revised timeline will allow institutions more flexibility in adopting the updated admission criteria.
GRE/HAT through ETC Now Mandatory from Fall 2027, Not 2026
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has decided to defer the implementation of the requirement for conducting GRE/HAT-General and GRE/HAT-Subject tests through the Education Testing Council (ETC) for admissions to…
— Niaz Ahmad Akhtar (@DrNiazAhmadSI) May 25, 2026
He stated that while the mandatory testing system is being introduced to standardize admissions, Fall 2026 admissions will continue under the existing criteria without changes.
The HEC said the delay is intended to ensure a more organized rollout of the ETC-conducted testing framework across higher education institutions in the country.
