ISLAMABAD, Feb 5: The faculty of Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) has finally been awarded one grade promotion across the board, it has been learnt.

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, on the eve of ‘Salam Teachers Day’ last October, announced one grade promotion for all public- sector universities. In this way, lecturers in public-sector universities would be given BPS-18 instead of BPS-17, assistant professors, BPS-19, associate professors, BPS-20 and professors, BPS-21.

Initially, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) had asked the universities to follow the new criteria which it had worked out for university teachers’ selection. But, Federation of All Pakistan Universities Teacher Associations (FAPUASA) pressed for across the board promotion.

Later on the decision was left up to the respective universities’ syndicates. As a result, majority of the universities immediately gave promotion to their respective faculties.

But the QAU faculty remained divided and a minority was of the view that some criteria must be followed for promotion if not that of the HEC’s.

According to the commission’s new criteria, for the post of lecturer, the appointee must have first class master’s degree in the relevant field with no third division in his/her academic career. At associate professor level, an applicant must have eight publications in the last two years in internationally abstracted journals recognised by the HEC.

In the case of professors, they must have 12 publications to their name with at least three publications in the last five years and 15 research publications as well with at least five publications in international journals recognised by the HEC.

Considering this criteria, majority of the QAU faculty would not have been promoted to the next grade.

Hence, the majority prevailed and the QAU selection board announced across the board one grade promotion in its meeting held on January 26.

This decision will now go to the university syndicate for formal approval.