LAHORE: Higher Education Commission (HEC) officials and some Punjab University (PU) faculty members have expressed concerns over protests against PU Vice Chancellor (VC) Dr Mujahid Kamran by pro-Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) teachers and the Academic Group members on the issue of delegating Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability (PEEDA) Act 2006 powers to the VC, Pakistan Today has learnt.
The officials and teachers said that they relied on the VC and his efforts for eradicating corruption from the varsity. A HEC official, seeking anonymity, said that Dr Kamran had done a lot for upgrading the status of research in the varsity and the HEC was concerned over alleged corruption in MPhil and PhD examinations.
He said that the HEC was hopeful that for dignity of the PU, merit and future of the students, the PU VC would not be pressurised by protesters who wanted to stop him from eradicating corruption and making decisions on merit.
On the other hand, some PU teachers belonging to the leftist group and pro-JI teachers also supported the VC and said that although they were affiliated with the leftists, but on the issue of corruption, they would not support their own group members.
Some PU teachers said that they remained neutral on recent corruption inquiries and totally relied on the PU VC, as he was doing all things on merit and they would also support the VC if he takes action against an official involved in corruption.
A senior HEC official expressed concerns over the protests against the PU VC and appreciated Dr Kamran’s efforts, which had upgraded the PU’s status international research. He said that at the international level, standards of varsities were decided on the basis of research and the PU VC was supporting the HEC’s vision in this regard.
The HEC official said that the PU was also working for improving the quality and standards of higher education by improving the competitiveness of its faculty members.
Talking about Dr Kamran’s contributions, he said that the PU administration had increased research funding from Rs 0.4 million to Rs 50 million, which was appreciable and now PhD faculty members made 70 to 80 percent of the varsity faculty.
The HEC official said that under the PU VC’s supervision, the number of PhDs produced in 2008 and 2009 had increased to 106 and 126 respectively from the average of 41 PhDs in a single calendar year from 1990-2007. He said that around 1,000 PU faculty members had enrolled in the PhD programme while 1,036 students were studying in MPhil programmes leading to PhD.
The official said that the HEC was concerned over corruption allegations in MPhil and PhD programmes and waiting for the VC’s decision in this regard. He said that foreign countries were criticising the country owing to corruption allegations in varsities and even foreign students had expressed concerns in this regard.
On Sunday, some pro-JI teachers and leftist group members also expressed concerns over protests against the VC. A pro-JI teacher, seeking anonymity, said that around 850 teachers were befooling the media and people by protesting against the VC but in reality, nearly 30,000 teachers supported the VC and his efforts for the varsity’s welfare. He said that a lot of teachers had not joined the protests and were concerned over alleged corruption in the varsity’s departments.
The teacher claimed that nearly 70 percent of all PU teachers were pro-JI but they avoided joining the protest owing to its sensitivity. A PU examination department official said that some elements wanted to blackmail the VC and stop all academic development at the varsity. He alleged that some pro-JI teachers had favoured some students by violating the rules, which was unjust.
The official said that a large number of students, who were deprived of their rights, were protesting and demanding justice from the Punjab governor and CM. He said that poor students studied at the PU but some pro-JI teachers were disheartening them by indulging in corruption. The official said that the protesting teachers should support the VC’s anti-corruption drive.
A PhD student said that being pro-JI and pro-IJT should not be considered as a “license for corruption”. He said that the HEC gave a lot of funds for improving the MPhil and PhD programmes but teachers indulged in corruption. The student questioned that why the VC should not take action against the teachers protesting against him and giving life threats. He condemned the chancellor and CM for not taking action against corrupt officials and asked whether Taliban rule exists at the PU, as pro-JI teachers were involved in corruption.
According to sources, the VC would not spare all corrupt elements and take historic decisions for eradicating corruption. Federation of All Pakistan Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) President Dr Maher Saeed Akhtar said that the association did not support corrupt people and action be taken against all corrupt elements.
A PU Institute of Communication Studies (ICS) teacher said that there were a number of other departments where teachers were involve in corruption and but the varsity administration only wanted to target the ICS.
