Punjab University's new VC and challenges

Dr Lubna Zaheer

For the past several months, dozens of universities in different provinces of Pakistan have been deprived of permanent heads. About two dozen universities in Punjab are also facing the same situation. But it's a positive sign that the process of appointing permanent vice-chancellors in the universities of Punjab, Sindh and Islamabad has kick-started.

In the first phase, the appointment of permanent heads in seven universities of Punjab has been notified. It’s hoped that heads will be appointed in all other universities very soon. For the last two and a half years, the University of the Punjab was deprived of a permanent VC. All administrative and teaching matters were running under ad-hoc arangements. After a long gap, Prof Dr Muhammad Ali Shah has been appointed as the VC. Dr Ali Shah is a well-known name in the field of higher education and scientific research as he has been the VC of five universities including the Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU) Islamabad. This is certainly something to be proud of. However, becoming the PU VC is a matter of great honour as the leading educational institution is one of the oldest universities not only in Pakistan but also in South Asia. Becoming the VC of this university is the dream of every great professor and educationist. This time also many worthy professors were desirous of this honour. But this honour has come to Dr Muhammad Ali Shah.

Heading PU isn’t an easy task. It’s not a flowery sage at all. The head of this university faces many challenges. Dr Muhammad Ali Shah will also face many difficulties. The biggest problem is the financial crisis of the university. For the past eight to 10 years, more or less all public universities in Pakistan have been facing financial difficulties. Generally, public universities look towards the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan for funding. However, for some years, the funds of the commission have been continuously shrinking instead of increasing. Due to this situation, the sufferings of government universities have increased. However, the shortfall has been offset by rocketing inflation. In the context of inflation, every government announces an increase in the salaries and pensions of public servants in the annual budget, but the funds of public universities are not increased. Inevitably, government universities have to shoulder the entire burden of government announcements.

Punjab University has also been suffering from a financial crisis for some years. It has become difficult for management to balance income and expenditure. This crisis has reached such a level that the treasurer has to regularly manipulate to pay the salaries every month. However, timely payment of salaries of teachers and employees is a difficult phase. What is more difficult is that Jamia Punjab has to pay nearly Rs2 billion annually towards pensions and other liabilities of retired employees. In this regard, Interim VC Dr Khalid Mehmood took a difficult but correct decision to increase student fees annually. Despite this, the financial problems of the university are not getting any worse. The new VC will have to devise a solid strategy to get the university out of the financial crisis and make it a profitable institution.

An endowment fund has also been established in Jamia Punjab a few months ago. So that the financial support of poor but intelligent students can be arranged. It is not known what response Jamia has received so far on this fund. It is hoped that Dr Shah will draw attention to this aspect as well. We hear that he added billions of rupees to the endowment fund of any university he stayed in. By the grace of Allah, the graduates of PU are spread all over the world. They hold the highest positions. It can be hoped that Dr sahib will be able to bring billions of rupees to the Jamia's endowment fund through good coordination.

Ensuring public order in Punjab University is also a very important task. Every VC has to work hard to keep the political activities of students bound by rules and regulations. Various student organizations and councils have taken their steps in this university.  Sometimes these organizations go beyond a certain limit. Incidents of riots and beatings also keep happening. The VC will have to pay special attention to this aspect. I hear the doctor has strong nerves. During his tenure as the head of QAU, he kept rioting groups and anarchist elements at bay there. An incident also happened in which a person pulled out a pistol. Acquaintances say that he stood calmly without fear and was safe in this murderous attack. However, ensuring public order in Jamia Punjab and keeping the student organizations within certain limits will also be a severe test of Dr sahib's nerves.

Undoubtedly, PU has very capable and renowned professors. However, a lot of things happen here in the name of teacher politics which cannot be supported. Employees' union matters will also require the attention of the VC. It has also been seen that a group of certain people starts hovering around each major position. Or different individuals and groups try to outdo each other for positions and favours of the VC. Of course, there will be a circle of such people around the new VC. The doctor's insight is tested on how he deals with this situation.

In his first speech after assuming office at Jamia Punjab, he pledged to stick to merit and justice. One teacher suggested that merit requires attention to accountability. This is certainly a good suggestion. For example, the higher education system has tied the promotion and benefits of university professors to writing research articles. The result is that the teacher has become somewhat oblivious to the classroom and teaching. In the same way, there is no system of accountability in administrative, teaching and financial matters in government universities. I wish Dr sahib would pay attention to this aspect as well. It would be great if an unbiased mechanism for taking teacher feedback from students is devised in Jamia Punjab on the lines of private universities. These steps will set a bright example for government universities.

No doubt, the heads who have been in Jamia Punjab before Dr Muhammad Ali Shah have made efforts for the improvement of the Jamia according to their abilities and capabilities. Dr. Niaz Ahmad Akhtar, Dr. Mujahid Kamran and others ran the Jamia in their own style. Even the interim VC Dr Khalid Mahmood has devoted his energies to this university. There have been many good initiatives in the past. Of course, some mistakes were made and there might have been some wrong decisions. However, instead of dwelling on the past, we should look to the future. This is the era of Professor Dr Shah. Let's see what strategy he devises for the betterment of the university. What steps does he take? In his four-year tenure, to what point does he take the university? I pray that he will be able to enlighten my mother university to new heights.