May 14, 2006	Sunday	Rabi-us-Sani 15, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, May 13: The Higher Education Commission has reiterated its stance that the universities which fail to follow its quality criteria will have their budgets cut, official sources told Dawn.

The HEC recently froze the development funds of the Sindh University in Jamshoro, the NED University of Engineering and Technology in Karachi and the Karachi University for not following its criteria in appointments and promotions of faculty.

HEC Chairman Dr Attaur Rehman had met Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad, who is chancellor of the public sector universities in the province, and informed him about the commission’s decision, the sources said.

During the three-hour meeting, they said, it was decided that all public sector universities of Sindh would make amendments to their statutes within four months and bring them in line with the HEC’s governance criteria.

After the meeting, the University of Sindh was directed to hold its appointments in abeyance and revise its criteria to bring it in line with the HEC’s requirements.

Regarding the Karachi University, it was decided that the entire case of promotions should be legally re-examined in order to ensure that appointments made in 2006 were correct and in accordance with the University Grants Commission’s rules. The appointments were made on the basis of an advertisement issued in 1999.

The NED University was directed to conform to the HEC’s quality criteria in teachers’ appointments and promotions, the sources said.

They said Dr Rehman had issued directives for suspension of development grants of the universities until reversal or cancellation of the questioned decisions for appointment and promotion of faculty.

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had directed the HEC chairman to suspend funding of substandard universities and those which were violating prescribed governance rules.

The Sindh University had decided to appoint five faculty members to the post of professor despite them not fulfilling the eligibility criteria, the sources said.

The NED University awarded BPS-21 to faculty members in violation of HEC rules and regulations despite a note of dissent submitted by the HEC’s nominee in the meeting, they said. The University of Karachi had promoted 18 non-PhD teachers to the level of associate professor and professor against the recommendation of its selection board and in violation of HEC criteria, they said.