KARACHI, Jan 5: Candidates aspiring to teach at government colleges have been annoyed by the exercise undertaken by the Sindh Education and Literacy department parallel to that of the Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC), for appointment of 486 lecturers.

While the SPSC is already in the process of selecting suitable persons for 486 posts of grade-17 lecturers, which include 194 posts for colleges located in urban areas, the education department has invited applications to fill the same posts on ad hoc basis for a period of six months or till teachers are available from the Commission.

However, prospective lecturers are not satisfied with this move of the education department, and feel that the situation was creating confusion and was likely to generate more chaos among candidates.

It was learnt that the education department had requisitioned the SPSC about five months back to fill some 486 posts of college lecturers in rural and urban areas. Based on the requisition, the SPSC invited applications from Master's degree holders in the last week of October, and was now preparing to conduct written tests of the applicants.

The posts were advertised to fill vacancies in colleges created due to the retirement of teachers or due to addition of some teaching posts at some colleges. It was likely that the Commission would issue call letters for a test of the candidates, within a week's time, said a source privy to the process. This would be followed by interviews of the selected candidates, he added.

It is said that in order to avert public criticism and pressures from college principals and teachers' bodies, the education department had moved a summary to the chief minister during the period when Irfanullah Marwat was the Sindh education minister with regard to appointment of 486 lecturers on ad hoc basis.

However, things did not materialize and another summary was moved again by the department, which was finally accorded approval by the competent authority, despite the fact that the posts in question had already been referred to the SPSC for regular appointment of teachers.

According to the latest invitation of applications by the education department, candidates would have to pay Rs100 per application, and undergo written tests and interviews, a process similar to the one adopted in the appointment of about 741 college lecturers on a three-year contract basis.

It may be mentioned that the process of appointment of the said 741 contractual lecturers was initiated about two years back. Tests were held in December 2003 and short-listed candidates were interviewed by different subject committees - each headed by a member of the SPSC - and issued a letter of contract about six months back.

Candidates said that it was beyond their comprehension as to why the education department had invited applications for posts already advertised by the SPSC. "We have already paid Rs500 to the SPSC, and we will now have to pay another Rs100 to the education department," the remarked.

"It could have at least waited till the finalization of the exercise undertaken by the Commission, as it was obvious, keeping in view previous experiences, that the education department cannot be quicker than the SPSC," they say.

The department has meanwhile also announced to adopt the same process of written tests and interviews, already disapproved by the sitting Sindh education minister, Dr Hamida Khuhro, in view of alleged reports of nepotism and irregularities, some aspirants claimed.

The process of recruitment and posting of 741 contractual lecturers was stopped by Dr Hamida Khuhro on July 13 for certain verifications. Despite repeated advertisements and a recruitment process, the worries of job seekers was still not over, which should come under consideration of the Sindh chief minister, governor, education minister and others at the helm of affairs, the applicants maintained.