PESHAWAR: The higher education department has forwarded a summary of shortlisted candidates to the chief minister for appointment of vice-chancellors to seven public sector universities in the province.

The academic search committee for the appointment of vice-chancellors in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has recommended a separate panel of three candidates for each university, according to sources.

The academic search committee led by former federal minister for science and technology Dr Attaur Rehman conducted interviews of candidates in Islamabad on January 28, 29 and 30.

Sources said that summary reached the provincial establishment department and it would be moved to Chief Minister Secretariat after approval of chief secretary.

The summary will be placed before the provincial cabinet for selecting VCs for the seven universities including Islamia College University, University of Chitral, University of Buner, University of Fata, Women University Mardan, Khyber Medical University and Pak-Austria Fachhochschule: Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology Haripur.

Sources said that 53 candidates had applied for the vacant post of Islamia College University vice-chancellor and 15 of them were shortlisted for interview while 21 were shortlisted of the 70 candidates applied for Chitral University in the initial scrutiny.

For the post University of Fata vice-chancellor, sources said, 36 candidates had applied and 15 of them were shortlisted while 25 had applied for Pak-Austria Fachhochschule: Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology Haripur and 10 of them were shortlisted.

Only three were shortlisted of the nine candidates, who applied for the post of Khyber Medical University vice-chancellor while five were shortlisted of the six candidates for Women University Mardan.

After the cabinet approval, the chief minister will advise to the governor to appoint the recommended candidates as vice-chancellors.

The governor can return the panel of the shortlisted candidates for reconsideration to the chief minister within 15 days if he is not agreed with the advice given to him by the latter. The governor, who is also chancellor of public sector universities in the province, has to act on the advice tendered after the reconsideration of the names within 10 days.

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2021