27 February 2005	Sunday	17 Muharram 1426

ISLAMABAD, Feb 26: Education Minister Lt-Gen (retired) Javed Ashraf Qazi has criticized the revised procedure for selecting vice-chancellors (VCs) of federal public-sector universities.

Talking to Dawn, Education Minister Lt-Gen (retired) Javed Ashraf Qazi said: "I have already registered my concerns with the authorities concerned and am waiting for their response in this regard."

He argued that the Higher Education Commission (HEC) had no right to intervene in the selection of vice-chancellors of federal public-sector universities.

"Every university has its own act, and there was nothing wrong with the previous selection procedure, however, let's see what happens," the minister said.

In the recent past, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) issued a press release explaining that President Gen Pervez Musharraf in his capacity as chancellor of federal public-sector universities had approved the revised procedure for appointments of vice-chancellors.

Under the revised procedure, the commission will constitute a vice-chancellors' search committee which would recommend atleast three candidates for the slot. However, the final decision will be taken by the president in his capacity as chancellor.

Whereas, under the previous selection procedure, the education minister, in his capacity as pro-vice chancellor of federal public-sector universities, recommended the name of a potential vice-chancellor.

The HEC suggests that the revised procedure will ensure that vice-chancellors are competent administrators, scholars of international repute and can provide the much needed academic leadership in public-sector universities.

When contacted, HEC Executive Director Dr Suhail Naqvi said: "We want to bring everything under a certain procedure so that it is not persons but institutions that flourish."

The commission is of the view that with the search committee in place, genuine teachers would be able to get selected as vice- chancellors, he claimed.

He also contended that the HEC would only be acting as a secretariat for the search committee and the body would be very much independent in its affairs.

"I believe that it is a good initiative because it will bring in a system of check and balance and only deserving candidates will head public-sector universities," Dr Naqvi added.

In response to a question, he said in case of extension of a sitting vice-chancellor's tenure, application would be processed through the search committee.