THIS refers to the interviews held on Dec 10 last year through the search committee for the position of the rector of the Virtual University. Three names were finalised out of which one candidate would be selected by the president of Pakistan through a process at a meeting of the board of governors. The meeting has not taken place since then as the required two members of the board are short.

The process was delayed in the beginning as the minister resigned and there was no minister for a long time. The summary of the members had been approved after Syed Amin ul Haque took over as the minister on April 22.

The Virtual University since then has been on an ad hoc basis. It needs a full-fledged rector to run the affairs. During the coronavirus outbreak the only available option for educational institutions is online studies.

The Virtual University can play a lead role for public universities in this regard. Universities feel the lack of essential and active role by the Virtual University during the current lockdown because of the unnecessary delay in appointing the rector.

Keeping in view the Covid-19 situation, the selection process should be expedited.

Prof (Dr) Mansoor Akbar Kundi
Vice-Chancellor,
Bahauddin Zakariya University
Multan

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2020