LAHORE: The Government College University is awaiting the release of Rs250 million from the Higher Education Commission to start the construction of its new campus sprawling some 350 acres at Kala Shah Kaku.

The HEC had pledged Rs1 billion for the new varsity campus and the first tranche of Rs250 million was to be released last month. The HEC has not given any reason for the delay in amount’s release.

The university administration has planned to construct two academics blocks and as many hostels of the new campus with the promised amount.

“We are optimistic to get the first installment of Rs250 million from the HEC without any further delay,” GCU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Hassan Amir Shah told Dawn.

He said a boundary wall around the 350 acres of land acquired for the new campus had already been constructed and in the first phase two academic blocks and hostels would be built. Besides, he said, the amount would also help the varsity set up new departments like pharmacy, media studies, law and engineering and reduce burden on the existing campus.

At present, some 12,000 students are enrolled in the GCU with 400 faculty members.

Prof Shah said the Punjab government had also pledged Rs2 billion for the varsity’s new campus.

“Probably the new campus required more than Rs3 billion (Rs1bn from HEC and Rs2bn from Punjab government) for developing into a full-fledged campus in 15 to 20 years time,” he said.

The GCU could not make any considerable progress on higher education front since it was awarded varsity status in 2002. It has since then produced 310 PhDs. This year the varsity has produced 40 more PhDs, mostly in Physics and Mathematics.

When asked why the GCU failed to secure good position in the HEC ranking, Prof Shah said the varsity was facing a shortage of senior faculty. Besides, he said, since he took the charge as the varsity’s vice chancellor, seven ‘Research Chairs’ had been lying vacant.

Dr Abdus Salam Chair, set up to honour the Nobel laureate, has also been vacant since 2012.

“We have got the budgetary approval from finance and planning committee for the seven chairs and selection process for the Dr Abdus Salam Chair has been completed,” he said, adding the varsity was trying to engage eminent scientists and academicians for research chairs.

The Rafi chair (of physics) is the only one which is functional.

Six research chairs were established in 2003-4 to honour as many figures, including poet Allama Iqbal, GCU founder principal Prof Dr G.W. Leitner, Hazart Ali Hajveri (Data Ganj Bakhsh), eminent writer Prof Ashfaq Ahmad, Dr Mehboobul Haq and Dr Sultan Ahmad in the departments of philosophy, history, Persian, Urdu, economics and biological sciences. However, no appointments could be made against these chairs in the last 12 years.

The varsity management also thinks that the new campus will help it focus on research as new laboratories will be set up.

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2016

Opinion

Editorial

‘Source of terror’
Updated 29 Mar, 2024

‘Source of terror’

It is clear that going after militant groups inside Afghanistan unilaterally presents its own set of difficulties.
Chipping in
29 Mar, 2024

Chipping in

FEDERAL infrastructure development schemes are located in the provinces. Most such projects — for instance,...
Toxic emitters
29 Mar, 2024

Toxic emitters

IT is concerning to note that dozens of industries have been violating environmental laws in and around Islamabad....
Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...