LAHORE THE Punjab government has decided in principle to re-advertise 10 posts of vice-chancellors (VCs) while making PhD degree as only “preferable” requirement to apply for the coveted posts, it is learnt. With making PhD a preferable requirement the government has planned to offer the posts to non-PhDs too unlike the recent past when only PhD qualified individuals were able to apply for the coveted posts. It is important to mention here that several years ago there was no requirement of PhD degree for individuals to be posted as VCs and many such posts were held by top retired army officials, including that of Punjab University and University of Engineering & Technology (UET) Lahore with Lt-Gen (r) Arshad Mahmood and Lt-Gen (r) Muhammad Akram Khan as VCs respectively. Under the latest development, the posts of VCs would be advertised in some foreign publication/s besides involving Pakistani embassies in different foreign countries to help the government in headhunt of the most suitable candidates. The details about these posts would also be available on the websites of Pakistani Missions abroad. On top of it, the successful individuals would be offered market-driven “negotiable” pay package in order to tap the best available potential from within Pakistan and abroad. According to sources privy to the developments, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif himself contacted some Pakistani ambassadors telephonically recently asking them to help the Higher Education Department (HED) Punjab in reaching suitable candidates. The sources said that the latest developments were based on the recommendations of a high-powered committee formed by the chief minister over the issue of selection of the VCs. The committee comprised of Chief Secretary Khizar Hayat Gondal, Education Minister Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, Secretary Higher Education Department (HED) Mrs Irum Bukhari, Secretary Finance Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, academician Dr Zafar Iqbal Qureshi and Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) Chairperson Dr Muhammad Nizamuddin. It is pertinent to mention here that the Punjab government had advertised the posts of VCs of Government College University (GCU) Lahore, University of Education, Lahore, Lahore College for Women University (LCWU), University of Sargodha, Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU) Multan, Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU) Rawalpindi, Government Sadiq College Women University, Bahawalpur, The Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Engineering & Information Technology, Multan and Khawaja Fareed University of Engineering & Information Technology, Rahim Yar Khan in early April this year. The VC Search Committee headed by Syed Babar Ali and comprising Dr Zafar Iqbal Qureshi, Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, Dr Mohammad Nizamuddin and Mrs Irum Bukhari had completed interviews of 178 candidates in mid-May and submitted its recommendations. Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha; however, did not attend a single meeting to hold interviews of the shortlisted candidates. The sources said the Search Committee while forwarding names of 10 candidates, one each for a university, had also forwarded a note to the chief minister observing that the committee was not satisfied with the criteria for the selection of the VCs as well as the stuff shortlisted after the due process. The sources said this prompted the chief minister to take a strict notice and form a high-powered committee over the issue. There was also concern among the committee members as to why incumbent VCs were made to apply since their (VCs’) performance during the four-year tenure was enough to make decision whether they would be given extension or they should be said good-bye. It is learnt now the Higher Education Department (HED) Punjab will re-advertise all the posts and advertisements would also be placed in some foreign publication/s soon. The sources said under the revised criteria anyone having professional experience in administrative and management capacity and running a successful enterprise would be eligible to apply for the post of the VCs. Nonetheless this particular move is likely to attract strong criticism particularly from teaching faculties at universities as the condition of PhD degree was included on strong demands of teachers in the past. A number of government officials The News contacted, confirmed the developments; however, they wished to remain anonymous.
