Medical agenda: Doctor claims that VCs don’t take their jobs seriously

Dr Shershah criticises the committee for violating the rules and regulations.

KARACHI:

The committee formed to select university vice-chancellors usually ends up appointing its own members to the key posts, Pakistan Medical and Dental Council member and gynaecologist Dr Shershah Syed has alleged.

“The vice-chancellors of the University of Karachi (KU) and Dow University of Medical and Health Sciences (DUHS) are part of the search committee this year - they will most probably nominate themselves again.”

While speaking at the Karachi Press Club on Friday, Dr Shershah criticised the committee for violating the rules and regulations and said that he was not satisfied with the progress made by the universities in the province.

In response to a question about the vice-chancellors, he said that it was a full-time job. He added that most of the vice-chancellors did not take it seriously and were involved in their private practice on the side. “They only want to construct more buildings and buy more equipment,” he said. “They are not bothered about the academic standard or quality of the institution.” The doctor added that although an advertisement for the post of vice-chancellor at KU and DUHS would be appearing in newspapers on Sunday, there was no point in applying because the current vice-chancellors would just extend their term like they did last term.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 8^th, 2011.