KARACHI – The University of Karachi (KU) administration has once again been coerced into appointing rejected candidates as teachers owing to mounting pressure from the Sindh Governor’s House, sources have informed Pakistan Today.
The university has appointed two part-time cooperative teachers, who were already declared ineligible for teaching at the university as they had failed to meet the criteria of employment. The KU had declared Muhammad Wasi Fasih Butt and Maqbool Ahmed ineligible since they failed to meet the employment criteria; however, the varsity issued a notification of their appointment after a fortnight.
According to the university’s rules, the degree of Tanzeemul Madaris al Arabia is recognised for the purpose of teaching Islamiat, Islamic Studies and Islamic Ideology at colleges. The KU has banned selection of candidates possessing degrees from madrassas for teaching religious subjects, but they are eligible for teaching at colleges; however, they can teach at the university after receiving a first-class Master of Arts (MA) degree from any university.
Muhammad Wasi Fasih Butt does not posses an MA degree, whereas Maqbool Ahmed possesses an MA degree in Islamic Learning; however, Ahmed is also ineligible since he had acquired second division in his MA examination, as opposed to the requirement of possessing a first-class MA degree. The KU’s Department of Islamic Learning has forwarded a summary for formal approval to the Academic pro-vice chancellor for Butt and Ahmed’s appointment as part-time cooperative teachers for Islamic Studies (compulsory) and Shia Theology.
The varsity’s new academic session has already commenced on January 17, but the proposed candidates might join the KU soon. On December 6 last year, the university had invited applications from interested candidates for the above-mentioned posts. According to the advertisement, the Department of Islamic Learning had invited applications for Islamic Studies (compulsory) and Shia Theology from qualified and competent persons with first-class Master’s degree in Islamic Studies or two first-class degrees in other discipline.
On December 14, the department had displayed a “merit” list on the notice board for interviews, and the names of Butt and Ahmed, who clearly fail to meet the criteria, were also part of that list. The interview committee, comprising Prof Dr Rehana Firdaus, Dr Shakil Auj and Dr Naseer Akhtar, not only interviewed Butt and Ahmed, but they also awarded them with the highest scores.
Butt and Ahmed possess a Shahadatul Alamia degree; however, only the latter holds a Masters qualification, albeit with a second-class degree. Islamic Learning Department Chairwoman Dr Rehana Firdaus had forwarded names of 10 candidates for appointment as part-time cooperative teachers to Pro-Vice Chancellor Shahana Urooj Kazmi.
Sensing irregularities in the process of appointments, Islamic Studies Faculty Dean Prof Dr Hisamuddin Mansoori wrote to the authority concerned for preventing the appointments of the ineligible candidates and avoiding extremism. In his letter, the dean said that the two candidates were ineligible for teaching at the varsity because of their Shahadatul Alamia degrees.
He requested the KU management to remove the names of both candidates and appoint the next two candidates, Mohsin Ali and Dr Shakir Hussain Khan, as cooperative teachers. Since the varsity had received complaints regarding the ineligible candidates, it averted their appointments and issued a revised list of candidates without Butt and Ahmed’s names.
However, after the passing of a fortnight, the university has appointed both the rejected candidates and allowed them to teaching at the KU. When Pakistan Today contacted the pro-vice chancellor, she denied that the Governor’s House had pressurised the varsity for appointing the rejected candidates.
Supporting the appointments, she said that there is no provision in the university rules for appointing candidates with degrees from madressas; however, some appointments have been made in the past on the basis of the Shahadatul Alamia degree being equal to the MA degree.
