BAHAWALPUR, Jan 8: The Islamia University is short of faculty and funds, governor and chancellor Khalid Maqbool was informed on Monday. He was given a presentation by IUB vice-chancellor Dr Bilal A Khan about the varsity’s academic and physical infrastructure projects at its Abbasia Campus.

The VC told the governor that the varsity had started semester system in its 17 departments out of the total 42. He said the varsity had established its five campuses, including one each in Bahawalnagar and Rahim Yar Khan.

The VC said out of the varsity’s 1,124 computers, only half were P-III and P-IV, while others were first-generation machines which had become outdated. In a lighter vein, he said those computers could be donated to a primary school.

Dr Khan said the varsity had a total strength of some 700 teachers, including around 400 appointed on contract basis. He said the lecturers appointed on a contract basis would be regularised after formal interviews at the completion of one-year probation period. Still, he said, the university was grossly deficient with regard to the faculty strength.

The VC also deplored that the varsity had not received funds even for the approved projects and delay was hampering development work. The governor assured him that the funds had been released and would soon reach the university.

During the presentation, the governor Khalid Maqbool asked the Quaid-i-Azam Medical College/Bahawal Victoria Hospital principal to allow the IUB pharmacy students to undergo practical training at his campus.

Earlier, the pharmacy students had complained to the governor that they were not being allowed the facility during his visit to the Faculty of Pharmacy and Alternative Medicine.

On another request, the governor also asked the principal to allow College of Veterinary and Animal Science’s students to use varsity’s physiology and biochemistry labs. The principal readily agreed to accommodate the IUB students at its pharmacy, physiology and biochemistry labs.

During a visit to the Faculty of Pharmacy and Alternative Medicine, the governor also assured the pharmacy students that he would take steps for setting up a small clinical unit at the varsity for practical training of students.

At industrial and pharmaceutical technology lab, the governor also suggested that the varsity should set up a small pharmaceutical manufacturing unit in collaboration with the private sector.

Speaking at the briefing session, the governor stressed that the varsities must ensure development of their students’ personalities and their communication skills, besides training their faculties through seminars, workshops and foreign scholarships for higher studies.

Mr Maqbool said the government had already decided that next admissions to universities would be made on the basis of entrance tests to be conducted by the National Testing Service.

Referring to the ongoing development projects, the governor stressed that the university administration must utilise funds efficiently.

The governor also asked the VC to involve the Virtual University and Allama Iqbal Open University at its out of city campuses. He also asked the varsity administration to install water filtration plants for the provision of safe drinking water to students.

Meanwhile, the governor inaugurated Islamia University College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences in Bahawalpur.

The college has been established in a rented building on governor’s directive. The new building for the college will cost Rs590 million. On the occasion, the governor announced Rs20 million for the college.

The governor, who returned to Lahore after an extensive visit to various IU departments at its Abbasia (Old) and Khawaja Farid (Railway Road) campuses, will again reach Bahawalpur on Tuesday (today) to visit the Baghdad-ul-Jadid campus, where he will inaugurate an FM radio station at the Mass Communication department.