Blow to higher education

The Sindh cabinet's decision to override the governor's objections and push ahead with the Sindh Universities and Institutes Laws (Amendment) Bill is a direct assault on academic integrity. By allowing serving bureaucrats - even those without a PhD - to be appointed as vice chancellors, the government has opened the floodgates for political interference in higher education.

Sindh Governor's refusal to sign the bill was a rare instance of a political figure standing up for the integrity of higher education. His concerns about the irreparably damage to the quality of education in Sindh were valid, but the ruling party, relying on its numerical strength in the provincial assembly, has chosen to dismiss these objections outright. The party must understand that the vice chancellor the academic and intellectual leader of a university, and that this role demands a deep understanding of research, pedagogy and governance in a higher education setting. Bureaucratic experience alone does not equip an individual to lead a university. While political patronage in education is not new in Pakistan, this bill formalises and facilitates it by providing a legal pathway for politically connected bureaucrats. Hence, this move is nothing more than a blatant attempt to tighten political control over public universities, sidelining merit in favour of loyalty. In reputable universities worldwide, the role is reserved for distinguished scholars who understand academic culture, research ethics and the complexities of university administration from an insider's perspective.

Education should never be compromised for political expediency. If the Sindh government truly wants to improve universities, it should focus on strengthening academic leadership and ensuring autonomy rather than turning these institutions into extensions of the bureaucracy. This bill must be resisted, not just by academics but by all those who care about the future of education in Sindh.