ISLAMABAD: Officers of Higher Education Commission (HEC) have expressed concern over the ongoing process of hiring over a dozen officers of grade 20 and above, at a time when the chairman Dr Tariq Banuri is set to complete his tenure in the next two weeks.

Through a letter, 21 regular directors of HEC, out of total 22, requested the HEC’s executive director to withdraw the recent vacancy advertisement published on May 1 and term it “contradictory to the existing HEC-approved recruitment rules 2009 and regulations”.

“Considering that the tenure of Chairman/Chair of the Selection Board is concluding on May 29, 2022. We all senior officers of HEC in best interest of HEC and its officers, submit our serious concerns on existing recruitment process being undertaken in haste and against the prescribed HEC approved Recruitment Rules 2009,” read the letter signed by 21 directors.

Under the said advertisement, according to the directors, HEC is going to hire 13 director generals, a member and three regional representatives.

Term it ‘contradictory’ to existing rules, regulations

The letter further stated: “Advertisement has been published on May 1, 2022 during Eid holidays with a shorter deadline of May 16, which indicates the recruitment process for senior level positions is being undertaken in complete haste without realising that it would have serious impact and implications on performance of the organisation in longer run ... As per HEC approved Recruitment Rules, 2009, 50pc quota for promotion and 50pc for direct induction has been fixed for BPS-20, seven positions are filled in by the regular employees of HEC whereas four positions are still lying vacant to be filled through promotion.”

“Vide above referred advertisements, 13 positions of regular Director Generals have advertised to be filled in through direct appointments contrary to the HEC approved recruitment rules which clearly indicates that 11 posts are to be filled in through promotion and 10 posts are to be filled in through direct appointments.”

In the previous advertisements, 12 positions of regular DGs in BS-20 were advertised, wherein the number increased to 13 in the current advertisement which also indicates that there are issues in allocating regional quotas, the letter added.

The directors have also pointed out that formulation of HEC’s selection board is a sub-judice matter, adding that the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training has also raised concern over this matter.

The commission has already recommended reconsideration of the current ratio of 50:50pc for promotion and direct appointment in order to give fair chance of progression to outstanding officers of the organisation in senior grades (BS-18 and above), the letter said.

The HEC chairman, last month, was given his power back through a unanimous vote. His powers, which had been delegated to the commission’s executive director in February through a resolution, were given back to him last month.

Mr Banuri had remained in trouble during the PTI regime as he was removed from the post in March 2021 through a presidential ordinance that reduced his four-year term to two years.

He was restored by Islamabad High Court (IHC) as the commission’s chairman in January this year and his four-year term is going to be completed on the 29th of this month.

HEC’s spokesperson Ayesha Ikram could not be approached on Wednesday for her comments about the letter. However, a few days ago, in a written reply, she defended the HEC’s move of opening the recruitment process.

“All these posts have been advertised as per roster and quota. Quota of direct appointment and promotion has been observed strictly as per rules,” she said.

Published in Dawn, May 12th, 2022