Recommendation process for appointments raises concern

Public sector universities

PESHAWAR: The process and recommendations made by search committee for appointments in different public sector universities in the province have caused concerns among the teaching fraternity, academicians and applicants for the vacant positions.

Some candidates and senior academicians have already challenged in the Peshawar High Courts the process, particularly the eligibility criteria for the appointment of vice-chancellors, and others have demanded Governor Barrister Syed Masood Kauser and Peshawar High Court chief justice to take immediate notices of what they termed the serious anomalies being committed in the ongoing appointment process.

Eight universities including the University of Peshawar, Bacha Khan University Charsadda, University of Swabi, University of Haripur, Malakand University, Shiringal University Upper Dir, University of Science and Technology Bannu, Karak University and a degree awarding institute, IM|Sciences are currently being administered by acting heads, while no vice-chancellor could be appointed for the Fata University.

Islamia College University (ICU) Peshawar, too, is being headed by an acting vice-chancellor, but it is a bit different, as its full-time vice-chancellor, Ajmal Khan, is in the captivity of militants due to which it is being headed by an acting VC.

According to sources, the vacant positions were advertised in September 2012 by the search committee after a considerable delay. A large number of applicants submitted applications for the vacant positions. Some 135 were shortlisted for five universities only, whose panel interviews for the offices were held last week.

Some of the candidates even refused to appear before the search committee for interview in protest against the eligibility criteria. “The eligibility criteria is illegal and unethical. It has been specifically made [to pave the way] for appointment of desired candidates. We have already moved the court against it,” one such applicants told The News on the condition of anonymity.

He was of the opinion that according to the recently adopted Model Universities Act, the universities would have to make statutes for the institutions wherein criteria for the vice-chancellor should be mentioned. “Now that most of the universities are yet to form statutory bodies like syndicate and senate and then statutes so the entire process becomes illegal,” he argued.

The aspirant said the lone qualification given for the appointment of vice-chancellors in the advertisement is 10 years experience in teaching and administration, which is a standing jock with the seats of higher education. “This criteria has been made deliberately to accommodate the people, who have already been given acting charge,” he said.

The search committee headed by Minister for Higher Education Qazi Mohammad Asad, proposed the names of some junior most and Awami National Party (ANP) likeminded candidates for the positions.

According to sources, the search committee has recommended the name of Dr Johar Ali, who according to sources is the most junior among professors in the province, as vice-chancellor Malakand University. He is currently holding the office on acting basis. Dr Naser Ali Khan for Haripur University, Dr Noor Jehan, acting vice-chancellor ICU, for Swabi University, Dr Fazle Raheem Marwat for Bacha Khan University Charsadda and Ibraheem Khattak for the Karak University.

The two members of search committee, Prof Dr Qibla Ayaz, acting vice-chancellor University of Peshawar (UoP) and former vice-chancellor Prof (Retd) Said Khan Kalil have also been assured of appointment as vice-chancellors UoP and ICU on regular and acting basis respectively, the sources said.

Posted in: Peshawar news