More than 30 public sector universities in Punjab are facing a financial crisis after discontinuation of scholarships and large cuts in research funds by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan.
On the other hand, it is being alleged that the members of the syndicates appointed on political grounds have made the universities subservient to their will.
Government universities are said to be autonomous but the position of vice chancellors in administrative and financial affairs has been diminished through the official picked.
The provincial minister for higher education has been empowered as the chairman of the syndicates of all the universities with at least two MPAs as their members.
According to sources in the education sector, the weakening of autonomy and financial problems have started affecting the performance of the universities.
Read ‘Varsities struggling to equip students for evolving industries’
he HEC Pakistan has only restored a small proportion of funding for the universities after a drastic reduction.
According to academics, the universities cannot be expected to maintain their educational standard without adequate financial resources for scholarships and research.
Sources revealed that the participants of a VCs conference held in Lahore by the Punjab HEC recently aired their grievances in this regard.
The sources said that the VCs of several universities complained during the discussion with government representatives that their status had become lower than that of a section officer of the higher education department.
All financial and administrative matters are presented to the syndicate for approval but the decision is made by the provincial minister as the chairman. The VC is only a member of the forum, while government officials enjoy more powers, they complained.
While the public sector universities are recognised as autonomous institutions, the autonomy is practically being exercised by the nominated members and chairman of the syndicates.
On the other hand, it seems that a cold war for powers is going on between the Punjab governor, who is chancellor of the province's universities, and the provincial ministry of higher education.
The sources said the chancellor was in favour of the autonomy of the universities but was facing resistance in this regard.
Read more Universities: financial crunch
He has also said that the powers and decisions of the VCs pertaining to the promotion of knowledge and research should not be challenged.
However, the heads of universities fear that their powers are being eroded.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, Okara University VC Dr Zakrya Zakir said the universities had not received funds from the HEC for quite some time and they were trying to run their finances on their own.
The VCs of some major universities of the province, seeking anonymity, said they lacked funds even for staff salary, what to say of research and development.
The sources revealed that the HEC had allocated Rs100 billion for the public sector universities across the country bit the allocation had been halved.
They said the heads of the institutions had been asked to generate financial resources for their functioning.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 23rd, 2021.
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