National College of Arts: Power tussle for head post

Reports allege incumbent principal wants extension.

LAHORE:

The National College of Arts (NCA) is allegedly seeing a tussle for the position of principal. Three faculty members are in the running for the position while, allegedly, a lobby is in place to prolong the appointment process so that the sitting principal can get an extension for one year.

The incumbent, Fauzia Qureshi, is scheduled to retire on June 18, She has been the acting principal since last July.

A summary sent by the NCA management to the Ministry of Inter-provincial Coordination had listed three candidates for the post. Prof Shabnam Khan, head of the Design Department, Associate Prof Sajjad Kausar, the officiating head of the Architecture Department and the Fine Arts Department head, Associate Prof Bashir Ahmed, have been put forward as suitable candidates.

While Khan holds a PhD, the other two candidates have MAs in their disciplines. Official records show that Khan is foreign qualified, serving in the BS-21 level and has served as head of academics for some time.

A faculty member, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that Qureshi is putting her weight behind Kausar to succeed her if her term is not extended. Kausar is a BS-20 employee.

According to appointment rules, the senior most faculty member would be posted as principal after the retirement of the sitting principal till the appointment of a regular incumbent. A 1985 law requires that the federal government appoint a regular principal within six months of the retirement of a principal.

The federal government can appoint a principal by inviting application for the post from suitable candidates who possessed necessary qualifications and relevant experience.

The post requires a PhD from a professionally recognised institution or an equivalent degree with 18-years of teaching and administrative experience. An MPhil graduate with 20-years and a Master’s with 22-years of experience are also eligible for the post with the age limit set between 42 and 50 years.

Quershi was rumoured to have postponed the convocation of 2011 scheduled for April till June hoping to get an extension.

The prime minister currently holds the portfolio of Minister of Interprovincial Coordination.

Quershi told The Tribune that a list of senior faculty members had been forwarded to the Ministry for Inter-provincial Coordination. She said that she thought the senior most candidate would be selected as acting principal. She denied that she was lobbying for an extension.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 28^th, 2011.