Performance-based formula urged for funding varsities

The beleaguered chairman of the Higher Education Commission on Wednesday questioned the credibility and viability of higher education and research institutions of the country.

"In Pakistan, the highly coveted academic achievement of the Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) has been turned into a market degree," said Banuri. "Except for private universities, our public sector universities are not independent," Banuri said. Explaining the extent of official interference in the affairs of the universities, he said that the vice chancellor of a university was afraid of talking to him.

"One-third of universities in Pakistan are receiving excessive funding against the formula. The remaining gets less funding than needed. We do not want any university to be funded on a discriminatory basis but on a performance-based formula," he added.