PESHAWAR: Following the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet’s decision, the higher education department is poised to reverse the process for the appointment of vice-chancellors to 19 public sector universities in the province and re-advertise the posts.

Though caretakers approved nominees for the top university vacancies six months ago, the appointments were withheld by a top government functionary, reportedly awaiting the formation of the new government after the Feb 8 general elections.

The elected Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government in the province challenged the caretakers’ move, insisting that they don’t have the legal authority to appoint VCs.

The matter was later discussed at different forums before the cabinet, in a meeting last Friday, decided to cancel the entire VC appointment exercise and re-advertise positions.

Official says panel to be formed to interview candidates, make recommendations

“We are waiting for the minutes of the cabinet’s meeting to reach us before placing an advertisement in newspapers for the filling of top vacancies in the universities,” an official of the higher education department told Dawn.

The official said that the department had also initiated work on the constitution of the high- powered academic search committee, which was responsible for interviewing candidates for VC positions and recommending a panel of three candidates for every university to the government for selection.

The tenure of the last academic search committee ended in Feb 2024.

The VC vacancies were advertised during the last PTI government when Mahmood Khan was the chief minister, according to officials.

They said the academic search committee interviewed candidates from Jan 22 to Jan 26.

The officials said currently, 24 public sector universities in the province had been functioning without regular VCs as the tenure of five more heads of universities completed on March 16.

They said the universities without regular VCs for around two years included Abbottabad University of Science and Technology, Gomal University Dera Ismail Khan, Khushal Khan Khattak University Karak, University of Agriculture Dera Ismail Khan, University of Lakki Marwat, Hazara University Mansehra, University of Engineering and Technology Mardan and Women University Swabi.

Similarly, seven universities, including Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Bacha Khan University Charsadda, Shuhada-i-APS University of Technology Nowshera, Kohat University of Science and Technology, University of Peshawar, University of Science and Technology Bannu and University of Engineering Peshawar, have been awaiting appointment of regular VCs for the last nine months.

The officials said the universities functioning without regular VCs for four months included Fata University Dara Adamkhel, Islamia College University Peshawar, University of Buner, Women University Mardan and University of Chitral.

They said the newly-established universities, including University of Agriculture Swat, University of Engineering and Applied Sciences Swat, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Swat and University of Shangla, too, didn’t have regular heads.

The current PTI government has declared the appointment of two members to the academic search committee by caretakers as another reason for its decision to re-advertise VC vacancies.

It has also hinted at amending the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Universities Act, 2012, and change the procedure for the appointment of VCs, insisting that under the current procedure, the chief minister has no role in the matter and instead, all powers regarding the appointment of VCs rest with the academic search committee.

When contacted, higher education minister Meena Khan Afridi confirmed that VC vacancies would be re-advertised.

“VCs will be appointed after following all laid-down procedures,” he said.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2024