LAHORE: The Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) and 12 public sector universities of the province have been working without regular heads, leading to several academic and administrative problems and putting a question mark on the claims of the current government to eliminate adhocism.

The posts of vice chancellors (VCs) in 12 public universities and chairman of the PHEC were advertised in national media after some minor changes to the criteria and the last date for applying for the posts was March 8.

Sources claimed that two weeks had passedsince the deadlinelapsedbutthe process for appointments on these posts of higher educational institutes had not even started. Only the Punjab Higher Education Department had received applications for the posts. As many as100 candidates have applied for PHEC chairperson, while more than 400 for 12 vice chancellors in public universities.

Most of the VCs` regular posts had been lying vacant for at least two years.

Punjab Minister for Higher E ducation Raja Yasir Humayun Sarfraz told Dawn that they had shortlisted candidates for the posts of vice chancellors, but would first appoint the PHEC chairperson. He said as the PHEC chief was a member of all search committees who interview candidates for the post of vice chancellor, it would have to be filled first. The post has been vacant for around six months since the former head retired.

He said they had sent the list of shortlisted candidates for the post of PHEC chairperson to the relevant search committee that would conduct their interviews and fill the post within a week.

The process for appointment of the vice chancellors would be resumed after this, he added.

He also said that they had shortlistedcandidates for the post of chairman of all seven Boards of Intermediate and Secondary E ducation in Punjab and sent to the chief secretary and chief minister`s office for conducting interviews.

Sources claimed that a number of academicians had applied for the post of PHEC chairperson, including Government College University (GCU) VC Dr Syed Hassan Amir Shah, University of Education Lahore VC Prof Dr Rauf Azam, University of Veterinary and Animal Science Lahore VC Dr Talat Naseer Pasha, Pakistan Science Foundation Chairman Dr Muhammad Ashraf, Punjab University Institute of Education and Research Prof Dr Abdul Qayyum Chaudhry and Islamia University Bahawalpur`s (IUB) former VC Qaiser Mushtaq.

The public sector universities working without regular VCs had been divided into general, women and specialised categories.

The general category includedBahauddin Zakariya University (BZU) Multan, IUB, University of Gujrat, University of Narowal and GCU Faisalabad.

The women`s category included Women University Multan, Women University Sialkot, Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) and Government College Women University Faisalabad.

The third category included specialised universities such as University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Lahore, UET Taxila and University of Home Economics Lahore.

Sources claimed that the process for short-listing of candidates for the posts of VCs of women universities had been completed and call letters for interviews would be sent to the candidates soon. The government would first appoint these VCs and then those in general and specialised categories. The PHEC chairperson would be appointed at the end, they said.

The sources further claimed that thecandidates, who had applied for the posts of VCs in public sector universities, included Federation of All Pakistan Universities Association former Punjab president Dr Javed Ahmed, who had applied for the post at BZU Multan, University of Narowal, IUB and GCU Faisalabad. He is currently serving as chairman of the physics department of BZU.

University of Education Lahore VC Prof Dr Rauf-i-Azam had applied for the post of VC at University of Gujrat, GCU Faisalabad and BZU Multan. Punjab University physics department`s Prof Dr Harris Rasheed has applied for the post of VC of University of Narowal.

Women University Sialkot`s founding vice chancellor Dr Farhat Saleemi has applied for Women University Sialkot and LCWU`s VC. The incumbent vice chancellor of Government Sadiq College for Women University, Dr Talat Afza, is a candidate for the post of Women University Multan`s VC.candidates, who had applied for the posts of VCs in public sector universities, included Federation of All Pakistan Universities Association former Punjab president Dr Javed Ahmed, who had applied for the post at BZU Multan, University of Narowal, IUB and GCU Faisalabad. He is currently serving as chairman of the physics department of BZU.

University of Education Lahore VC Prof Dr Rauf-i-Azam had applied for the post of VC at University of Gujrat, GCU Faisalabad and BZU Multan. Punjab University physics department`s Prof Dr Harris Rasheed has applied for the post of VC of University of Narowal.

Women University Sialkot`s founding vice chancellor Dr Farhat Saleemi has applied for Women University Sialkot and LCWU`s VC. The incumbent vice chancellor of Government Sadiq College for Women University, Dr Talat Afza, is a candidate for the post of Women University Multan`s VC.