Interviews of prospective VCs of Balochistan varsities from 17th

KARACHI: The Search Committee established for selecting the vice-chancellors in the universities of Balochistan has completed the screening of candidates for five universities of Balochistan and decided to start interviewing them from March 17.

However, it has decided to re-advertise the post of VC Makran University, due to the lesser number of candidates. A total of 106 candidates applied for the post of VCs. Their majority had applied for more than one university. The News has learned that 19 out of 46 candidates were declared eligible for Balochistan University of Information Technology and Engineering and Management Sciences. Besides, 21 out of 71 qualified for VC of Mir Chakar Khan Khan Rind University. As many as five out of 25 candidates qualified for the Balochistan University of Health and Medical Sciences and 22 out of 61 candidates qualified for the University of Loralai. Similarly, for Balochistan University of Engineering and Technology Khasdar, five out of 18 candidates were called for an interview.

According to sources, well-known candidates who were shortlisted include Dr Khalid Hafeez of Leicester Castle Business School UK, Prof. Shabbir Ahmed Lahri, Dr Mohammad Azam, Dr Imtiaz Ali Khan, Dr Abdul Razzaq, Dr Sikandar Ali Abbasi, Dr Maqsood Ahmed and others. In order to maintain impartiality, the Balochistan government has established a Search Committee for the universities of its province. The head and one member are from Sindh, while one member is from the federal government.

Dean of IBA Karachi Dr Asma Hyder is the convener of the Search Committee while former vice chancellor of Liaquat Medical University Jamshoro Dr Bika Ram is a member while other members include planning Commission Rafiullah Kakar, Vice Chancellor of Lasbela University Dr Dost Mohammad and the Principal Secretary of Governor Balochistan. The Search Committee of Balochistan had set an age limit of 65 years and 20 years of teaching experience and 20 research papers for the post.

Contrary to Balochistan upholding merit for its candidates for vice-chancellors, Sindh’s Search Committee has not enlisted any member from outside the province. It has also inducted four non-PhD bureaucrats are its members. Furthermore, Sindh has set the age limit of 62 years, Grade 17 experience for the post of VC instead of teaching experience and only 15 published research papers. This criteria must invite serious scrutiny.