KARACHI: Rejecting the governor`s objections to the Sindh Universities and Institutes Laws (Amendment) Bill that enabled non-PhD bureaucrats to be appointed as vice chancellors of universities across the province, the Sindh cabinet on Saturday once again approved the controversial bill in its original form and referred it to the provincial assembly for legislation.

Briefing journalists about the cabinet meeting, Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said that the cabinet had rejectedthe governor`s objections and decided to again present the bill in the provincial assembly on Monday, where it would be reapproved due to numeric majority of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party.

Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori had refused to grant his assent to the bill and returned it to the provincial assembly for reconsideration, raising objections to the new law that expanded the eligibility criteria to the serving bureaucrats for appointment as vice chancellor in public-sector universities.

Under Section 3 of the Article 116 of the Constitution if the bill is passed again by the assembly, with or without amendments, the governor must then grant his assent, meaning thereby that if the Sindh Assembly pushes the bill through once again, Governor Tessori will be constitutionally bound to approve it.

Widely-criticised bill Besides a strong criticism from opposition parties, including the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), and Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), the academic circles, education campaigners,professors` associations and education campaigners have also voiced their concerns, warning that the decision will severely affect the quality of education in Sindh`s universities.

The senior minister said that the bill was initially proposed by the universities and boards department through the search committee and it underwent extensive deliberations before receiving the provincial cabinet`s approval on Dec 4, 2024.

He said that after further review and modifications by the standing committee, the assembly passed the bill on Jan 31, 2025.

A statement issued from CM House said that it was pointed out in the cabinet meeting that as per original bill proposed by the U&B department, candidates must hold a master`s degree, preferably a PhD, in the relevant field, along with 15 years of experience in academia, civil society, research, or leadership roles, as well as a distinguished record in research and publication.

It said that the standing committee proposed amendments to clarify these experience requirements while retaining same basic criteria which the assembly had passed. The cabinet was informed that in the original bill, it was stated that a cadre officer selected as vice chancellor must resign from civil service.

The standing committee amended this to specify that the officer must either resign or seek retirement from service, depending on the individual case which the assembly also passed.

The cabinet was told that a recent amendment bill passed by the assembly had been returned by the governor with observation regarding the jurisdiction of the Sindh High Court.

The governor expressed reservations, citing Article 175(2) of the Constitution of Pakistan, which states that courts can only exercise jurisdiction conferred by law.

After thorough discussion, the cabinet asserted that the proposed Bill of 2025 did not violate Article 175 of the Constitution.

`The bill aligns with the Sindh Civil Courts Ordinanee, 1962, which has been amended multiple times without prior objections.

The cabinet approved the bill and referred it to the assembly for necessary action.