SC takes note of vacant VC slots

Declares petition seeking appointment of regular VCs in public varsities admissible

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court (SC) has declared a petition concerning the absence of regular vice-chancellors in public sector universities nationwide as admissible in the public interest.

An association of public university teachers has approached the SC, urging it to issue directions to appoint vice-chancellors at public sector universities per the law and without further delay.

In this regard, a petition was filed by the All Public Universities BPS Teachers Association (APUBTA) in the top court on Tuesday.

In its petition, the APUBTA informed the court that it is an association which represents around 50,000 university professors from across Pakistan.

Earlier, the registrar's office had raised objections about the admissibility of the plea.

In his plea, the petitioner highlighted that over 60 public sector universities lack vice-chancellors, leading to a void in the decision-making process of the institutes.

According to the petitioner, there are no decision-making bodies and academic councils in the respective universities.

Filing its petition under Article 184(3) of the Constitution, the association also urged the top court to consider the vacant seats for vice-chancellors in public-sector universities across the country.

The application, moved through Advocate Umer Ijaz Gillani, listed the President of Pakistan (who is directly or through his governors in each province and the chancellor of public sector universities), the Higher Education Commission (HEC), and the federal and provincial governments as respondents.

In response, the court has requested comprehensive information from all provincial governments regarding this matter. Under the Practice and Procedure Act, a three-member committee holds the authority to decide whether to entertain an application for hearing. The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Qazi Faiz Isa, presided over a three-member bench hearing the case and inquired about the petitioner. Advocate Umar Gilani, representing an organisation of 15 thousand teachers, confirmed filing the petition.

During the proceedings, it was revealed that out of a total of 147 universities, 66 are in the public sector, with many lacking a vice-chancellor. The lawyer attributed this situation to governments' reluctance to appoint permanent vice-chancellors, possibly to exert influence.

The chief justice acknowledged the lack of syndicate meetings for years, expressing concern over this neglect.

Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan noted discrepancies in the information provided, stating that all universities in Balochistan do have permanent vice-chancellors contrary to earlier claims. The court adjourned the hearing indefinitely, emphasising the need for accurate information regarding the appointment of vice-chancellors in public universities across Pakistan.

The abysmal practice has plagued public sector varsities for long in the country already grappling with a myriad of problems.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 2^nd, 2024.