The Supreme Court has directed the concerned authorities to fulfill the vacant top-notch posts at the public sector universities, including vice-chancellors, pro vice-chancellors, rectors, registrars, heads of faculties and departments and others as soon as possible in accordance with the applicable laws.

The court’s order came over a petition filed by All Public Universities BPS Teachers Association (APUBTA) regarding lacking the service structure of teachers in public sector universities across the country.

A nine-page judgement authored by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa stated, “Considerable amount from the public exchequer is spent on public sector universities. These universities must abide by their respective laws. Unfortunately, we note that many are being run in contravention of their laws on the personal whim of those placed in charge thereof. These transgressions adversely affect academics, the reputation and standing of Pakistani universities and also undermine the degrees awarded by them.”

The three-member bench of the apex court led by CJP Isa on May 15 directed that the posts of the vice-chancellors, pro vice-chancellors, rectors, presidents, vice-presidents, registrars, heads of faculties and departments, controller of examination, director finance, which are mentioned in the applicable laws, wherever lying vacant, should be filled-in as soon as practicable and this be done in accordance with the applicable laws.

The judgement highlighted that the public sector universities must comply with their respective laws, and if those in charge of them were disregarding the same for no justifiable reason, they must demonstrate that they were still competent to hold their respective positions. “The laws governing these universities require that the meetings of syndicates, senates, boards of governors and boards of trustees, as applicable, must be periodically held. Universities must not leave vacant important positions of vice-chancellors, presidents, vice presidents, registrars, heads of faculties and departments, controller of examination and director finance as in doing so they contravene the applicable laws. This state of affairs whereby the law is disregarded cannot be allowed to continue”, said the order issued on Friday.

“We are informed that the HEC has prescribed an ideal ratio of academic to non-academic staff to be 1:1.5, which nearly all universities are failing to abide by in that the non-academic staff far exceeds the said ratio,” the judgement mentioned.

“This appears to be one of the reasons for the financial problems being faced by the universities. The federation, provinces and the Islamabad Capital Territory to submit whether directions have been issued to ensure that the universities shall restrict/stop further employment of nonacademic staff,” the SC order maintained.

The Supreme Court directed the vice chancellors/rectors to submit within two weeks their response under their signatures explaining as to why they were not complying with the law governing their university and why appropriate actions may not be recommended to be initiated, or be initiated, as the case may be, against them. They shall also be in attendance on the next date of hearing.

Regarding International Islamic University, Islamabad, the order said as per the report, this university has 55 tenured positions of directors general, deans and chairpersons; however, the report fails to disclose how many of these positions are filled-in on temporary basis.

The court directed the secretary of the ministry, chairman of HEC and rector of the university to submit the requisite information and explain why the same was not provided earlier.