UoP faculty livid with job posting for new lecturers

Claim they break HEC regulations, are over budget and meant to please few

PESHAWAR: The University of Peshawar has apparently relaxed the conditions required for hiring lecturers at the varsity. The relaxations though, have angered some amongst the faculty who have been waiting for their promotions.

In a recent advertisement calling for applications for lecturers, the University of Peshawar relaxed the rules, allowing those holding masters degrees to apply for positions.

According to the Higher Education Commission (HEC) rules, the minimum qualification for applicants for a lecturer is masters of philosophy (MPhil).

Grudging faculty

On the other hand, university faculties have expressed their grievance on the advertisement, claiming that these posts appear to have been specially created to be filled by some blue-eyed people.

Talking to The Express Tribune a senior official of the UoP, who did not wish to be named, shared that the university has advertised more than the budgeted posts.

He said that while on the one hand, the incumbent UoP vice chancellor had accused the previous administration of the varsity and the government for a financial crisis at the varsity, while on the other they were advertising for over-budgeted positions.

The official explained that as many as 10 positions of professors had been created and it is expected that they will be filled by cherry-picked individuals. He added that since candidates from outside the university are unaware of the situation, they would apply for these positions.

Providing a peek into staff grumblings at the varsity, he said that more than 400 class-III and IV employees are currently working at the varsity on contracts. Even though they have been working for years, the varsity has yet to regularise these employees.

While lack of finances is touted as the reason for not regularizing these employees, the 10 new posts, with salaries of around Rs4 million a year, would add a greater financial burden on the cash-strapped educational institution, he argued.

On March 7, HEC had written to universities and degree awarding institutes to ensure that the commission’s decision on to raise minimum qualifications to 18years for appointments of lecturers is strictly implemented.

Moreover, the letter stipulated that the minimum qualifications for appointments of lecturers should be MPhil/MS or an equivalent degree which amounts to 18 years of education or masters from foreign universities.

The official thus contended that the UoP had violated HEC’s directives as it sought applications from those who have just a masters degree.

UoP Mass communication Lecturer Dr Amir Hamza Marwan expressed his disappointment over the advertisement, adding that he had been deprived of a promotion to ‘Assistant Professor’, which was his right as per the rules set by the HEC, which the UoP was bound to follow.

“My promotion is due since February 19, 2016, and I condemn this discrimination-based advertisement issued by the UoP,” Marwan told The Express Tribune.

He urged Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Iqbal Zafar Jagra, who is also the chancellor of the varsity, and the HEC Chairman to take notice of this discrimination practised by the varsity’s administration and exercise their discretionary power to address his grievances.

Hirings welcomed

Meanwhile, Peshawar University Teacher Association (PUTA) President Arif Khan appreciated the UoP administration for advertising the much-awaited positions and attempts to address the shortage of facility.

He said that PUTA had always raised voice for the faculty’s rights and, through their struggles, the university had advertised these positions. He explained that the positions had been advertised by following the proper procedure laid down in the university’s rules. He also rejected the notion that these were over-budgeted posts.

Arif conceded that some people had some reservations over these positions, but a majority of the teachers were in favour of the move.  He added that the PUTA would back the majority.

About HEC rules for the required qualification, he said that universities are autonomous bodies and they can set their regulations for the minimum qualification of employees.

Talking to The Express Tribune, UoP Spokesperson Ali Imran said that the varsity has a set of rules for appointing employees.

He explained that the heads of the concerned departments had informed the deans regarding the vacant positions. The deans then provided the requisite detail to the administrations per which the university advertising.

He that these positions have also been advertised for internal employees and that senior faculty members eligible for it would be preferred. About the grievances of some faculty members, Imran explained that everyone had a right to demand their rights.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 26^th, 2018.