KARACHI: Describing the recent directives of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) as “critical for the survival of public sector universities in Sindh”, representatives of teachers in the province have called for the immediate initiation of the recruitment process and the holding of long-overdue selection boards.

The universities in the province, they said, were facing “a dangerous shortage” of teachers and that the situation had turned so grave that over 40 per cent of teaching posts were currently vacant at several campuses — a continued crisis seriously affecting the academic and administrative performance of universities.

The teachers were responding to the commission’s directive of giving a deadline to all universities to complete their recruitment process by Aug 15, 2026, warning that the delay in filling vacant positions and convening of selection boards might entail appropriate administrative and regulatory consequences.

“While we appreciate the step, we must put it on record that teachers have been demanding initiation of selection boards for a long time. The teachers were forced to take up this matter to the court,” said Dr Fahad Nazir Khoso, president Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (Fapuasa)-Sindh chapter, adding that currently the matter was pending with the Islamabad High Court.

Fapuasa, Kuts term recent HEC directives ‘critical for survival of public sector universities’

Highlighting the gravity of the situation, he cited the example of the Sindh Agricultural University, Tandojam, where there were several departments with only one regular teaching faculty and no major selection board held since 2008.

“The university, with over 70pc visiting faculty, has seen departmental restructuring for a long time. The frustrating situation has greatly affected teachers’ mental and physical health,” he said, adding that a significant number of teachers at several universities with strong academic credentials had been waiting for promotions for over 20 years.

Dr Khoso also expressed concern over what he described as “unnecessary hurdles” being created by the provincial government in the matter, which had made its permission mandatory for appointments.

“This is against the autonomous status of universities. We have taken up this matter with the provincial government several times in recent years but to no avail,” he emphasised, while regretting the government’s “stubborn attitude”.

Sharing similar reservations, Syed Ghufran Alam, president of Karachi University Teachers’ Society, said the issues highlighted in the HEC’s letter were highly concerning for all universities of Sindh, especially the KU.

“Only 558 posts out of 982 are filled, which means 44pc of teaching posts are vacant at the KU campus. It’s a huge gap. Consequently, the university’s reliance on the visiting faculty increases,” he said.

According to him, the KU teaching positions advertised in the 2019 advertisement are yet to be filled. The selection board for these posts was held for the first time in 2023. “Hence, you can see how administrative delays have been affecting teachers’ promotions. The university has held selection boards for the posts of professor and associate professors but the recruitment process for new appointments (lecturers and assistant professors) hasn’t been held for a long time.”

Dr Alam shared concern over the Sindh government’s interference in the matter, which, he said, was often “used by the university administration to delay the recruitment process further.”

“We have many colleagues who have been working in the same grade for 20 to 25 years. There is a dangerous shortage of teachers as there are departments left with only one or two regular faculty members,” he said, regretting that earlier, the government used to give an option of “hardship cases” but that too had been withheld now.

The situation, they said, was so frustrating that the young faculty members were forced to explore other options, while seeing no growth opportunities at the KU campus.

Last month, the HEC, in a letter sent to vice chancellors, rectors and heads of institutes on Feb 27, had stated that no eligible faculty member shall be unduly deprived of appointment on account of administrative inaction, delays in convening statutory bodies or non-availability of positions where such issues can be lawfully addressed through institutional mechanisms.

The HEC further asked universities to initiate appropriate measures for the creation of posts where faculty members are held up in their appointment solely due to the non-availability of sanctioned seats.

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2026