Committee starts scrutiny for HEC chief

Names of final three shortlisted by search committee will be presented to PM

ISLAMABAD: The six-member committee appointed by Prime Minister has started the scrutinising and shortlisting process of the candidates who applied for the selection of the next Higher Education Commission (HEC) chairperson.

The term of the current chairperson Dr Mukhtar Ahmad will expire on April 15 and the search for the new one has already started. The PM appointed a six-member search committee met on Tuesday, which was the second formal meeting after its commencement as the first one was held to set the basic parameters for the candidates’ qualification. The first meeting was held on February 7 in Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training which is the concerned ministry for the HEC.

The committee had set March 25 deadline for the applications. A total of about 115 applications were received which also included nominations from civil society and academics that is another way of applying for the post.

The committee in its second meeting discussed the number of applicants, PhDs and non-PhDs despite the requirement for a doctorate degree for the post with 20 years of relevant experience. Several candidates have also applied who are not PhDs.

Earlier in 2014, there was no such standard of PhD degree when the search committee sought applications. The committee consists of six representatives from the health and education ministries as well as parliament, including former minister Dr Sania Nishtar, former parliamentarian Shahnaz Wazir Ali, educationist Faisal Bari, Mirza Qamar Baig and education ministry secretary. Senior educationist and philanthropist Syed Babar Ali is the convener of the committee.

One of the ministry officials told The Express Tribune that the candidates would be shortlisted after going through the scrutiny process and meet the basic the criteria defined by the selection committee in the ad floated in the national newspapers.

Among the better-known applicants are Punjab Higher Education Commission Chairman Dr Mohammad Nizamuddin, International Islamic University Rector Dr Masoom Yasinzai, Comsats Executive Director Dr Junaid Zaidi, former University of Agriculture Faisalabad vice-chancellor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan, and Sindh Madressatul Islam University VC Dr Mohammad Ali Shaikh.



After the shortlisting, the candidates will be called for interviews and three names will be finalised by the committee. The committee will then forward those names to the PM who is the controlling authority of HEC. The PM will have the final say to select any name from the list.

It is expected that the process will be completed by end of this March though there is no bar in HEC Ordinance about the maximum time frame for the appointment of its chairperson. However, any member of the HEC commission can become the acting chairperson. Currently, there are no independent members of the commission except the secretaries of the provinces including federal education secretary. The latter is likely to be appointed the acting chief till the appointment of a new chairperson.

Earlier in 2013, the post was vacant for seven months when the term of Javed Laghari expired and the outgoing chairperson was appointed in April 2014.

The first HEC chief, Dr Attaur Rehman, was appointed by Musharraf in 2002, while its second chief, Dr Laghari, was appointed by the Pakistan Peoples Party government in 2009.

Some 103 applications had been received when HEC chief was being shortlisted in 2014 out of which 21 names were shortlisted and 18 of them were called for interview by the search committee.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 4^th , 2018.