Sindh Universities Law 2013: Governor, minister try to appease VCs

Ebad assured vice chancellors that amendments were being made in the controversial<br /> clauses.

KARACHI:

The provincial government is ready to make concessions in the newly enacted Sindh Universities Law 2013 after considering the reservations of the academic quarters on Thursday.

Sindh governor and the provincial education minister met the vice-chancellors of public universities on Wednesday.

Speaking about the law that has been termed a ‘severe blow’ to the academic and administrative autonomy of universities, Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan, who is also the chancellor of public-sector universities in the province, assured the vice-chancellors that amendments were being made in the controversial clauses in order to make the law acceptable to all stakeholders.

The amended bill is expected to be tabled in the Sindh Assembly session next month, a vice-chancellor told The Express Tribune.

Meanwhile, the public-sector universities, which are in dire financial crises due to budget cuts, have received another pledge for financial assistance by the government.

Dr Ebad also asked the vice-chancellors to generate new sources of income to overcome, or at least minimise, their deficit to some extent. He suggested that each university must develop a viable strategy to ensure security for their campuses. The vice-chancellors expressed their helplessness in devising such a mechanism in the absence of funds.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 25^th, 2013.