CM to interview candidates for three VC offices, except PU

LAHORE

The Punjab government has decided to evaluate the performance of Dr Mujahid Kamran, who served as Vice Chancellor of the Punjab University (PU) for eight years, to decide his candidature for the next four years, it is learnt. 

The government is presently looking for suitable VCs of four public universities of the province including PU, Lahore College for Women University (LCWU), University of Sargodha and Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Engineering & Technology, Multan. 

The VC Search Committee has already completed the interviews of shortlisted candidates and has sent a panel of three candidates for each varsity to the chief minister for final approval of one candidate for each varsity. 

Dr Mujahid Kamran’s name is among others in the panel sent for the Punjab University and he is considered a strong candidate. However, taking notice of hue and cry about his candidature from some faculty members, especially after he was assigned look after charge as PU VC following his tenure expired on Jan 22, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif decided not to interview candidates for the Punjab University. 

Sources privy to the developments said on the directions of the chief minister a high-powered committee comprising government officials including a senior officer from the CM Inspection Team (CMIT) and some incumbent VCs of different universities will evaluate the performance of Dr Mujahid Kamran as VC for two consecutive terms (from 2008-2012 & 2012-2016). 

The committee will take into account the budget utilization for development of the university in terms of quality education, infrastructure, research output and related issues. The chief minister will then decide whether to interview candidates for the PU VC post or re-advertised the same. 

It is pertinent to mention here that the posts of VCs for VCs of University of Sargodha and Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Engineering & Technology, Multan were also advertised earlier in 2015. However, as the chief minister did not interview candidates for these two varsities despite panels sent by the VC Search Committee there is likelihood that the post of PU VC be also re-advertised. However, this could not be confirmed from official sources who said “it’s too early to say so”.  

Sources privy to the developments disclosed that the chief minister had to interview the candidates for all universities except PU on Jan 28, however at the eleventh hour the interviews were postponed as the chief minister had to preside over a meeting regarding security of universities and now the interviews would be held sometime during this week. 

When contacted, a senior government official, seeking anonymity, confirmed the development vis-à-vis interviews of candidates for three varsities.