IT is with great disappointment that I share my recent experience with a university in Sindh. Along with several friends, I had applied for a lecturership position, paying a substantial challan fee and submitting our credentials via courier. We travelled a long way, spending a significant amount on transportation and accommodation, to sit the written test. Those of us who qualified were then invited for an interview, which again required considerable time, money and effort.

However, we were shocked to discovera glaring disparity in the interview process.

Candidates who were already in government employment were allotted only four to six minutes, while those without government jobs were interviewed for 15-20 minutes. This blatant inequality left us perplexed and demotivated.

Further investigations revealed that the university intended to recruit only non-government employees, as they were less likely to demand contract extensions.

This preference was not disclosed in the job advertisement, which had guaranteed `equal opportunities for all`.

Why do universities advertise positions as `open to all` only to implement discriminatory practices? Why do they waste time, money and energy of eligible candidates? It is imperative that universities transparently state their hiring criteria, including any restrictions on government employees, to avoid such deceptive practices. Our collective experience serves as a testament to the situation prevailing in the universities in Sindh, where favouritism and discrimination prevail over fairness and equality.

Ahmed Ali Tunio Gambat