Inordinate delay is being caused in the timely appointment of Vice Chancellors of public sector universities in Punjab due to differences between the Chancellor and Chief Minister. This has resulted in the incumbents continuing in their posts much beyond their normal tenure of four years which may be extended from six months to a year. This has resulted in a lack of initiative on the part of outgoing VCs and frustration amongst senior professors of universities.
A way out could have been to retire the VCs after finishing their normal tenure and give charge of acting VCs to the senior most professors in the university to help the administration. The present state of prolonged period of selection process compromises the progress of teaching and research due to uncertain environment in the event of lack of a regularly appointed VC that takes a severe toll on the educational activities of a university. Perhaps the CM could give a similar attention to universities as given to Daanish schools to save the higher education in the province.
DR MUHAMMAD YAQOOB BHATTI
Lahore
