QUETTA: Several female candidates appearing before the Balochistan Public Service Commission for the posts of headmistress and subject specialist have expressed their concerns over the exclusion of certain education qualifications.

In a statement issued here on Sunday, female candidates said the School Education Department of Balochistan had recently announced the recruitment of headmistress and female subject specialist for 217 vacant positions in Grade 17 through a public service commission advertisement.

However, the qualifications for these posts have raised concerns, as essential fields like Microbiology and Biotechnology were excluded despite their significant contributions to health, agriculture and the environment.

“These fields are recognised in other provinces, such as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where they are considered equivalent to Biology, Zoology, and Botany, but in Balochistan, graduates in these disciplines were deemed ineligible for the positions,” the candidates claimed.

Female candidates urge Balochistan govt to review ‘discriminatory’ policy

They said the exclusion of these fields reflected a broader issue of inconsistencies within the education system and the government’s failure to recognise the importance of modern scientific disciplines.

“The policy not only undermines the hard work of women in Microbiology and Biotechnology but also discourages their professional development, limiting their chances for advancement in a rapidly evolving world. Such decisions harm women’s progress in Balochistan, where they already face significant social, cultural, and educational barriers.”

They urged the government to rectify this “discriminatory” policy, offering equal opportunities to women with degrees in these fields. “By doing so, Balochistan can improve its educational standards and allow women to better contribute to the province’s social and economic development,” the statement added.

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2025