Sindh HEC yet to get control of public varsities

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has temporarily stopped the transfer of administrative powers of public universities in the province from the Universities and Boards Department to the Sindh Higher Education Commission (Sindh HEC).

The CM also directed to take into confidence and consult with other stakeholders, including the Adviser to the CM on Universities and Boards Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, on the issue of the transfer of administrative powers of public universities in the province.

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The decision to temporarily stop the government universities in the province from being handed over to Sindh HEC was taken after a briefing by the relevant secretary on the issue at a Sindh cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

After the 18th Constitutional Amendment, public universities have to take their problems to several administrative bodies instead of one. Earlier, the affairs of universities were dealt only with the Chancellor's Secretariat / Governor's House. Now they have to take their administrative issues to CM Secretariat, AG Sindh, and Universities and Boards Department, the meeting was told.

The meeting decided that since Nisar Khoro was not present, the Sindh chief secretary should call a meeting of stakeholders on the issue and take their opinion.

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Sindh HEC Chairman Dr Asim Hussain had sent a summary to CM suggesting taking authority of public universities from the Universities and Boards Department and handing it over to Sindh HEC. If the Sindh cabinet approves the transfer of administrative powers, the search committees for vice chancellors at various universities is Sindh will end automatically.

After gaining control, the Sindh HEC will form its own search committees and appoint vice chancellors at varsities.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 15th, 2021