Govt to merge, wind up several science and tech entities
The government has decided to wind up and merge several entities that come under the umbrella of the Ministry of Science and Technology in a bid to reduce workload and improve overall performance.
In a recent meeting, the federal cabinet approved a series of proposals targeted at enhancing efficiency and ensuring the optimal functioning of various government entities under the Ministry of S&T. These measures, which include mergers, winding up, and lean optimisation, are expected to significantly ease workload and bring improvement in performance.
One of the key directives involves the submission of implementation plans with timelines to the rightsizing committee. For entities slated to be wound up, merged, or retained in a lean form, these plans are due before the end of current month.
There is also a recommendation for most to reduce their scale by 30%, reflecting the proportional reduction in workload. Additionally, the staff-to-officer ratio is to be adjusted from the current 5:1 to 2.5:1 to align with the anticipated operational needs.
In cases of Pakistan Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR), Pakistan National Accreditation Council (PNAC), Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF), and related organisations, a detailed third-party review will assess the need, impact, and efficiency of each entity.
The objective is to create a roadmap for self-sufficiency while maintaining lean, efficient operations. This review will also recommend a 20-30% reduction in workforce and expenses, with reassessments scheduled every two years.
PNAC has specifically been tasked with presenting the benefits and impact of its certification and quality benchmarking processes. The government will evaluate its potential for achieving self-sustainability on a commercial basis while submitting a detailed roadmap to the rightsizing committee.
PSF and Pakistan Scientific and Technological Information Centre (Pastic) face similar evaluations as both are to be retained only if third-party audits demonstrate adequate grants including foreign contributions. Annual reassessments will measure their ongoing impact. PSF and Pastic may be merged if conditions support such a consolidation.
For the National Institute of Oceanography, a proposal has been floated to transfer its functions to a university or another maritime institution. If no interest is shown, reassessment will be conducted by January 31, potentially leading to its windup.
The National Metrology Institute of Pakistan (NMIP) and Pakistan Halal Authority (PHA) will be retained, but with significant changes. For NMIP, vacant posts as of October 30, 2024 will be eliminated, while PHA will undergo a third-party review to evaluate its recognition, impact, and efficiency.
Several universities under the S&T ministry, including the National University of Science and Technology (Nust), National University of Technology (Nutech), and Comsats University Islamabad, have been tasked with enhancing their quality and rankings.
Each institution has been asked to present a roadmap for achieving self-sufficiency and securing a place among top 100 global rankings within three to five years. Annual tracking and reporting on their progress will be mandatory.
For the National Institute of Electronics (NIE) and the Scientific and Technological Development Corporation (STEDEC), significant restructuring is being planned.
NIE will be merged with a suitable entity such as Nust, Nutech, or PCSIR and its roadmap is due to be presented by January 31. If no interest is shown, a windup is likely.
STEDEC, on the other hand, is planned to be wound up entirely, with its limited impact over a 40-year lifespan being cited as a key reason. This decision highlights the ecosystem's existing capacity as nearly 1,000 public and private institutions are already playing similar roles. Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) and Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) will undergo digital transformation and optimisation.
PSQCA will retain only its standard-setting function while adopting an annual key performance indicators (KPI)-based management system and reducing its workforce by at least 50%. Similarly, PEC will digitalise processes and implement risk-based licensing policies as well as aim for a 20-25% reduction in workforce.
Minister for finance outlined that those proposals were in line with the rightsizing objectives presented to the cabinet on December 24, 2024.
Following an exhaustive review by the rightsizing committee on December 26, 2024, amended proposals were approved on December 31, 2024. While some revisions were made, the cabinet holistically approved phase-II rightsizing measures, underscoring their importance for enhanced efficiency and reduced government overhead.
Specific recommendations for the Council for Works and Housing Research, and Pakistan Council for Science and Technology included winding up their operations and abolishing posts, retaining only critical experts within the S&T ministry.
Similarly, Pakistan Council for Renewable Energy Technology is required to merge its research functions with a suitable academic entity such as Nust or Nutech. If no interest is shown from the academia, its commercial functions may be privatised or wound up.