PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan has given the go-ahead to the higher education department for disciplinary action against the relevant Gomal University (GU) Dera Ismail Khan authorities for making appointments in violation of merit and the Higher Education Commission criteria during the last eight years.

The governor, who is also the chancellor of the public sector universities in the province, issued the directives in light of the higher education department’s recommendations made in the report of an inquiry, sources told Dawn.

They said an inquiry committee found that around 200 teachers in grades from 18 to 21, were appointed in violation of the HEC criteria and thus, plunging the university into a deep financial crisis.

The sources said the HED would shortly issue directives to the GU administration to prepare a work plan for action against the officials responsible for illegal appointments They said if the university didn’t act against some culprits, then the HED would come into action against them.

Inquiry shows around 200 teachers appointed to Gomal varsity in violation of HEC criteria

In its report, the inquiry committee found gross violation of merit as well as misuse of power in the appointment of teachers and administrative staff by different GU vice chancellors during the last eight years.

The chief secretary formed the inquiry committee on February 6, 2014, after reports emerged about the university’s financial crisis, especially its inability to pay salary to employees.

Among the terms of reference for the inquiry committee were to check whether all appointments in the university are made in accordance with the HEC rationale or in violation of it and to determine reasons of financial deficit and to devise a mechanism for financial assistance to the provincial public sector universities.

After the approval of the inquiry committee’s recommendations, the university and HED will now carry out the process to declare the appointments made in the previous eight years null and void.

The sources said the entire process was conducted in a very dubious and questionable manner by the administration in the tenure of different vice chancellors.

The inquiry report available with Dawn said most of the appointees were relatives/acquaintances of the vice chancellors and high ups of the university, selection board, syndicate members and that they were appointed on basis of favouritism or cronyism through pre-determined process of selection.

The chancellor has agreed with the inquiry committee that the university must abolish all vacant posts from BPS-1 to 21 through its relevant bodies forthwith and not to create any new post in the next five years.

He also directed the vice chancellor in light of the inquiry report to relieve all university employees appointed on contract or fixed pay over and above the sanctioned positions after abolition of the vacant posts.

According to the report, the university should close the university public school and college on campus forthwith by shifting the staff and students to Wensam college and improve the efficiency of the college academically to become financially sustainable within one year otherwise the Wensam college should also be closed.

“Complete ban may be imposed on all kinds of recruitment in the university for a period of five years and posts after retirement of their occupants shall stand abolished for at least five years. However, special permission of the chancellor through the HED may be sought in justified circumstances/need basis.”

The report also said since huge loss had been caused by consecutive VCs due to gross misuse of their authority, the matter might be referred to the Ehtesab Commission for action against them and recover the loss caused to the educational institution.

Published in Dawn, March 7th, 2015

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