LAHORE: The Punjab University has raised the limit on faculty members’ prescribed workload from three to five courses, prompting concerns among academics that the heavier teaching burden could leave teachers with less time for lecture preparation, student supervision and research.
The university, however, has justified the increase on the grounds that the revised five-course ceiling would helpensure qualityteaching.
The notification, available with Dawn, showed that the university had revised workload rules for both BPS and TTS faculty with effect from Fall 2026.
For BPS faculty, the prescribed workload remains nine credit hours for lecturers and assistant professors, six for associate professors and professors, and three for chairpersons, directors, principals and deans. However, teachers can now be paid for classes taught beyond their prescribed workload for up to five courses, compared with the previous limit of three courses.
The same five-course ceiling has also been introduced for TTS faculty, replacing the previous provision under which they could teach extra classes equivalent to up to two-thirds of their normal workload, subject to departmental conditions and prior approval of the vice chancellor.
PU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Ali Shah told Dawn that the increase in the workload was made on the recommendations of the Deans’ Committee and the Semester Implementation Committee. Staff Reporter