PESHAWAR: Senior academicians from Peshawar and other universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have expressed dismay over the selection process of the vice chancellors for nine institutions, and urged the KP government to fulfill its responsibilities on the basis of merit.
“KP Academic Search Committee is a one man show , short listing of candidates was done in a non-transparent way, the scoring formula was not only unlawful but contrary to the merit policy,” remarked Prof Sarafaraz Khan, Dr Shafiqueur Rahman and other academics during a press conference here at Peshawar on Wednesday.
They said that doubtful selection process through so-called search committee was causing unrest among the academics; therefore, government must re-visit the process.
According to University of Peshawar Area Study Center Director Dr Sarfaraz, the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had advertised nine posts for Vice Chancellors in September 2016. In response of 191 highly qualified and experienced applicants filed applications and 125 were declared eligible, he remarked. However, he added the Search Committee devised its own marking formula based on individual tabulated scores, and only 62 were called for interview held in Islamabad on March 13 and 14, 2017.
He further said that calling only selected people to interview is an ample proof of nepotism and political pressure on the part of Pakistan Tehrik Insaaf (PTI) government. In fact, he said they were disappointed as they were expecting selection of highly experienced, competent and talented people for these vacancies
Advocating his point of view, he said that the sub-section V of the Section 12 of the KP Universities Act 2016, lays down the condition that “The Academic Search Committee shall adopt the procedure as provided in schedule-II for the recommendation of the panel of up to three suitable candidates”.
The procedure for short listing adopted by the present Search Committee, including allocation and calculation of marks on different counts, is prejudiced and unlawful as it was neither approved by the government nor made public to ensure transparency. Consequently, a large number of experienced and deserving academics of this province, who have earlier been shortlisted and interviewed for the same positions, were dropped out of the list without any valid reason.
The aggrieved academics community expresses its dismay and dissatisfaction over the validity of the entire procedure. “We solicit the Chief Justice Peshawar High Court and Chancellor to immediately intervene and declare the entire exercise null and void,” he said. This will not only save everyone from unnecessary litigation but also restore fairness and confidence of the community in the selection process.