Delay in appointment of VCs adversely affecting students in K-P

Most administration positions are being served by teachers following a ban on appointments in 2016

PESHAWAR: The ban imposed by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government on new appointments in public sector universities has teachers serving on key administrative positions, adversely affecting students.

In December 2016, K-P higher education, archives and library department restrained all public sector universities from new appointments till the hiring of permanent vice chancellors in 10 public sector universities.

The decision directly affected students as most of their teachers have been serving on administrative positions following a dearth of permanent administrative officers in key positions.

On March 8, 2017, the same department issued another notification, observing that most of the teaching faculty in the varsities were serving on the positions of registrar, treasurer, controller of examination and other key posts. It directed the universities to fill these posts as per procedure provided in section 13, 14, 15 and 17A of the K-P Universities (Amendment) Act 2016.



At University of Peshawar, the sitting Registrar Dr Zulfikar is serving as Assistant Professor of Geography, Prof Dr Rauf is serving as Director of the Centre for Human Resource & Career Development (CHRCD) while another teacher is working as Deputy Provost.

In September 2016, prior to imposing the ban, the government advertised 10 positions in order to fill the vacancies of the vice chancellors, however, the serving pro-vice chancellors had no powers to make the appointments.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Islamia College University of Peshawar Registrar Dr Tuqeer Alam said that lack of experts had forced them to appoint teaching faculty on administrative posts.

He said that there were currently 19 public sector universities in the province, an elevated number from the previous figures. He added that all universities including his own were facing a dearth of experts on key posts.



An official of Islamia College University requesting anonymity said that the positions of director admissions, registrar, controller of examination, director planning and development, director training, two deputy controllers and two deputy registers were being served by teachers.

He claimed that earlier, the VC appointed blue-eyed individuals as teachers, who could not serve on key posts simultaneously, thus affecting students.

Meanwhile, Additional Secretary Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa higher education department Khalid Khan said that interviews for the posts of VCs had been conducted and that the positions will be filled soon.