HYDERABAD, Sept 27: A high-profile committee headed by the Sindh chief minister has accepted most of the recommendations presented by the Sindh chapter of the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association for making the controversial Sindh Universities (laws) Amendment Act, 2013, acceptable.

According to a statement issued by the Sindh University Teachers Association, a delegation of the association comprising Dr Azhar Ali Shah, Prof Ahsan Memon, Dr Azhar Ali Shah, Prof Liaqat Jamali, Prof Mutahir Ahmed, Dr Harris Shuaib and Dr Mohammad Usman Ali Shah called on Sindh Law Minister Dr Sikander Mendhro at the Sindh Assembly on Friday who informed them that the committee had accepted most of their recommendations in its second meeting held the same day at the Chief Minister’s House.

Dr Mendhro said the government had constituted the high-profile committee with the Sindh chief minister as its head and ministers and secretaries for education and law and a number of former vice chancellors as its members to recommend changes to the law.

The association’s recommendations included age limit of 61 years for prospective vice-chancellors, procedure of search committee for appointment of VC, appointment of pro-VCs from three senior most professors of the respective university, appointment of registrar, controller of examination and other officers by the syndicate, reemployment policy as per service rules of government and transparency and accountability.

The minister informed the delegation that the draft of new bill was almost ready and would be tabled in the next session of the assembly to be held in a couple of days.

He appreciated the association’s input and assured that if there were other recommendations the government would be happy to revise the law in future.

The delegation thanked the minister and members of the committee for accepting its recommendations which it believed would bring structural changes in the governance of higher education institutions in the province and improve quality of education.