HEC proposal in VCs appointment

HEC has no say in appointment of vice chancellors
Islamabad, Jan 18: After failing to get a positive response from relevant quarters, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) is gradually retreating from its proposal to appoint vice chancellors of public sector universities in provinces through an all-inclusive search committee having its proper representation, well-placed sources told this scribe here on Monday.
Sources said that the proposal was floated verbally on the basis of circumstances experienced by the HEC when politically-appointed vice chancellors of various public sector universities allegedly put hurdles in the degree verification process initiated on the directives of the Supreme Court.
According to them, the chief ministers of provinces would have more say in appointment of vice chancellors after passage of the 18th Amendment, but the issue of political interference would continue to halt the smooth process of appointing competent persons on these coveted posts.
The implementation of the clauses of the 18th Amendment would clearly show the situation, but till now a governors was the sole authority to appoint or dismiss vice chancellors so the universities were believed to face tremendous political pressure as all administrative powers of universities rest with governors.
An official said that the HEC moved a proposal to make procedural changes in appointment of vice chancellors to reduce chances of political involvement, but no representation was given to the HEC in search committees formed at provincial level.
He said that the vice chancellors were appointed by the chancellors themselves through search committee comprising five eminent scholars and citizens of Pakistan who usually sent three names to the chancellor after publication of an advertisement in national newspapers.
The job of the search committee was to collect applications from aspirants for the vice-chancellor's job, shortlist them, conduct panel interview and suggest at least three names to the governor-chancellor for appointment of the vice-chancellor. The chancellor would then appoint one of the three persons as vice chancellor as recommended by the search committee. If the chancellor did not agree with three names then he might ask the search committee to propose fresh names.
Sources said governors enjoyed absolute authority in appointment of vice chancellors and even secretaries in the Governor House sometimes pressurised universities to appoint their candidates at open positions, admit students without merit and even alter results of examinations.
According to official data constitution of search committees for appointment of vice chancellors in provinces was accepted at the meeting of the chancellors committee headed by former president General (r) Pervez Musharraf on May 11, 2006, but when these committees were formed no representation was given to the HEC which was the sole authority to monitor and promote higher education learning in the country.
Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) President Professor Dr. Mehr Saeed Akhtar told this correspondent that the process for appointment of vice chancellors in sector universities is non-transparent and based on considerations other than merit.
"It is due to their politically-motivated appointments that vice chancellors often face political pressure so we suggest making a clear and transparent mechanism in which senior teachers should be appointed as vice chancellors of public sector universities," he said.
HEC Executive Director Dr. Sohail Naqvi told this correspondent that it would be better if the HEC is given representation in search committees but "I believe constitution of search committees is itself a great achievement of the HEC and I hope the situation would show improvement with the passage of time."
To a question, he said that the proposal to give representation to the HEC in search committees has not so far been forwarded in writing but they had previously talked to the relevant authorities in this respect.
Replying to another question, he dismissed the impression that governors use their political influence over vice chancellors and said public sector universities are serving the education sector in a much better way. The news