KARACHI, July 23: The syndicate of the University of Karachi has approved all the recommendations of a sub-committee, according to which having command of English language will be a prerequisite for appointment as well as promotion of any lecturer and professor in future.
Besides, an associate-professor will have to get published five research papers in as many national and international research magazines, a KU press released said on Tuesday.
The recommendations were formulated by a sub-committee of the syndicate to enhance the standard of higher education and impart quality education to the students of the university according to world standards.
The committee, headed by Syed Yaqoob Zaidi, consisted of Shamim Ahmed Junejo and Dr Tayaba Mamoon.
It pointed out the lack of correct references in research papers of certain teachers and suggested disciplinary action. It also declared some of the research papers of teachers substandard and decided that research papers should be published with all the required materials in research magazines of repute instead of any departmental magazine, newspaper or periodical.
The committee made it clear that no promotion could take place merely on sending any research paper to the research magazines. Instead, the authorities should wait to see that the paper is published, it added, clarifying that a research paper published in different magazines or research papers containing similar matter will be considered only one paper.
The syndicate in its meeting also discussed the amendment to article 212 of the constitution that took place in 1997, according to which the employees of Karachi University were declared civil servants and as such the Sindh Government Servant Rules 1966 apply to them.
The verdict of the Sindh High Court on a petition of the university was also in the light of these rules which envisaged that no civil servant can take part in politics or become member of any political party, nor any of his dependent can become member of any political party.
Moreover, civil servant can not observe strike, nor can take out procession or hold public meetings and issue statements or raise slogans against the government and administration. The civil servants are also not entitled to submit charter of demands nor adopt any other way of protest.
On a proposal of syndicate member Justice Shabbir Ahmed, the meeting decided that the matter will be discussed in the next meeting of the syndicate, for which a detailed working paper should be presented.
A KU spokesman stated that all the concerned persons, organizations and forums are bound to abide by the verdict of the Sindh High Court. The welfare associations of the university have also no right to file appeal in the apex court under the decision as they had assured the court that they would not observe strike, hold protest, issue statements, distribute handbills, organize public meetings, nor they would take out procession and submit charter of demands, the spokesman maintained.
RESTRICTION: Karachi University has barred the chairpersons of its departments and sectional heads from talking to newsmen.
This was stated by the head of a KU department when approached in connection with a news item on Tuesday.
“We have been asked not to talk to newsmen,” was the reply in response to a phone call.
The Karachi University Teachers’ Society (KUTS) has been at loggerheads with the institution’s administration. Incidents of indiscipline involving the faculty members are also reportedly on the increase on the campus.
DATE EXTENDED: The University of Karachi has extended the last date from July 25 to August 12 for submission of registration forms for external candidates of BA, BCom and Bol and for improving division of BSc.
The forms can be obtained on payment of Rs25 from the bank counters at the silver jubilee gate of the university and can be submitted at the counters after getting them verified by the department of examinations. —APP/PPI