PakStudy :Yours Study Matters

Universities In Pakistan => Universities in KP => GU DI KHAH => Topic started by: AKBAR on January 01, 2009, 08:28:24 PM

Title: Merit ignored in appointment of lecturers in Gomal University
Post by: AKBAR on January 01, 2009, 08:28:24 PM


Merit ignored in appointment of lecturers in Gomal University

Islamabad: The Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan, has inducted more than 85 lecturers in BPS-18 without merit.

Deputy Speaker National Assembly Faisal Karim Kundi, who earlier wrote letters to the prime minister, governor and Higher Education Commission (HEC) chairman to take notice of rampant malpractices in the university, no longer seems concerned. Campus protests are being staged almost on a daily basis against the university administration, especially against the vice-chancellor of Gomal University, Dr Farid Khan.

The university administration had inducted more than 70 lectures on contract basis in the second half of 2007 in various departments of the university without advertising any post. According to faculty members of the university, these inductees were either relatives of the varsity high-ups or had political backing. Later, the posts were advertised in the national newspapers in January 2008 and screening tests were conducted in May 2008. Hundreds of candidates applied against the posts but only those who were already working in the university on contact basis were selected.

The university administration admits that it has regularised the services of more than 70 lecturers who were inducted without any advertisement on contract basis in the second half of 2007 but says the appointments were according to the rules.

Kundi, in his letter dated June 4, 2008 wrote: "Since June 2007 to date quite a few vacant positions in various departments were filled that were neither advertised nor individuals selected through constituted committee/Boards. The management of the Gomal University has now advertised some positions. In this regard call letters were issued for screening test on 23, 24 and 25 May 2008. This is just a formality to regularise those who have been appointed on a contract basis in violation of Establishment Division Cabinet secretariat: Government of Pakistan letter No. 6/2/2000-R.3 of 06 May, 2000."

One of the professors of the university, Pervaiz Saleem, who is also a member of the university syndicate, openly disagreed with the vice-chancellor of the university in appointing the near and dear ones in the university. Professor Pervaiz Saleem said that he raised his voice because he was not satisfied with the selection criteria. He said that he expressed his dissent when so many near and dear ones were appointed on contact basis in the university in violation of the rules and feared that all those would be regularised, and the same happened. If those lecturers who were inducted on contract basis were to be regularised then there was no need of advertising the posts. While one of the candidates said that candidates with PhD degrees were rejected while Master's degree holders were selected because of nepotism and political influence.

Kundi, when approached by this correspondent, said that he wrote letters to the prime minister and NWFP governor to take notice of these appointments and an inspection team was formulated which gave a report that all these inductions were done on merit. "After getting that report I was satisfied that the inductions were done on merit", he said.

The spokesman of the university, speaking on behalf of the vice-chancellor, said that all appointments were made on merit. He admitted that all those who were appointed on contract basis have been regularised. "The university's selection committee has approved the induction, therefore, the recruitment was legal," said Fazlur Rehman. "The committee nominates the names of inductees to the university syndicate and the syndicate approves it and all has been done according to the rules."

He denied that a contract worth billions was given to a firm closely associated with an influential politician of the area and said that the contract of boundary wall around the university was given to six different contractors. About the protests in the university against the vice-chancellor, the spokesman said that Dera Bachao Tehrik was behind it and it is the right of the people to protest. About the kin of vice-chancellor and other high-ups of Dera Ismail Khan being inducted in the university, the spokesman said that there were a few relatives of VC, including his nephew, among the recently regularised lecturers but all have been inducted on merit. But when pointed out that candidates with PhD degree were rejected while those holding Master's degree were selected, he said the former might have got fewer marks in the written examination.

................................