Social media viral notification has misguided students in Punjab by stating that colleges and universities have abolished the Punjab attendance requirement. According to the document, low attendance is no longer a reason to prevent students from taking exams or admission in both private and public institutions.
Institutions were apparently instructed not to issue fines, penalties, or restrictions associated with class attendance, according to the viral notice of January 17, 2026. It further threatened legal prosecution to the ones who did not act upon the instructions. The notification even used the name of a section officer giving it an official appearance.
The claim has however been reported to be fake.
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan has given a straight jacket warning on the documents that are going round. HEC also ensured that the news regarding the elimination of the Punjab attendance requirement is not authentic and is being disseminated without checking via social media.
No formal decree has been issued by the commission to cancel the attendance policies in colleges or universities in Punjab.
HEC Urges Students to Check Official Updates
HEC was encouraging students, teachers, and institutions to remain cautious and not spread unverified information. It recommended that people should only trust official government websites and authenticated social media pages to announce on issues concerning education policies.
Authorities emphasized that counterfeit messages may confuse students and ruin academic discipline.
What Students Should Do Now
Students should continue following existing attendance rules until an official announcement is made by Punjab’s education authorities or HEC. Any update on the Punjab attendance requirement will only be valid if shared through official channels.
