Public sector universities: Committee recommends nine names for slots of three VCs

PESHAWAR: The academic and search committee for appointment of public sector universities has completed interviews for vice-chancellors of three universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and recommended nine candidates to the government for final selection.

According to reliable sources, Professor Dr Razia Sultana has been recommended as favourite candidate for appointment as vice-chancellor of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University, Peshawar. She is already serving as vice-chancellor of this university on acting basis after completion of her four-year tenure in April this year.

Dr Ghazala Yasmeen, vice-chancellor Women University, Mardan, was recommended as second most favourite candidate for the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University. Dr Noor Jahan, director Disaster Management Centre, University of Peshawar who earlier served as vice-chancellor of University of Swabi, has been placed on number three in the merit list. The government would now make the final selection from the list of three top candidates for the job.

For the Agricultural University, Peshawar, Dr Johar Ali, member Animal Science Division Pakistan Agriculture Research Council, Islamabad, has been recommended ahead of other candidates for the vice-chancellor’s position. He is followed by Dr Jan Bakht, vice-chancellor, Khushal Khan Khattak University in Karak. The name of the third finalist among the candidates could not be ascertained.

For the University of Haripur, Dr Anwarul Hassan, Chairman Pakistan Council of Science and Technology, has been recommended as the most favourite candidate. The names of the other two finalists aren’t known.

The Agricultural University, Peshawar and University of Haripur have been without regular vice-chancellors for more than a year. The acting vice-chancellors of the two universities weren’t even shortlisted for the job.

The two positions were advertised in November 2017. A total of 111 candidates had applied for the posts. Only 22 were shortlisted and called for the interview.

About a dozen candidates had applied for the vice-chancellor’s post at the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University.

It would take another few weeks for taking the final decision as the summary of the interviews would be processed by the Higher Education Department and sent to the Chancellor/Governor’s office through Chief Secretary and Chief Minister.

The chief minister would recommend one of the names suggested by the academic and search committee for appointment as vice-chancellor and the governor would take the final decision.