Protests over provincial law allowing bureaucrats to be VCs

University classes have been suspended since early January, and demonstrations held on campuses in Pakistan’s Sindh Province as part of an academic staff boycott of classes in protest against the provincial government’s move to allow bureaucrats to be appointed as vice-chancellors of public universities.

Despite massive opposition from academics and opposition parties lasting several weeks, the Sindh Provincial Assembly on 1 February passed the Sindh Universities and Institutes Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025. The amendment paves the way for the appointment of bureaucrats as vice-chancellors, though they will have to leave the civil service to take up the posts.

The move to allow serving or retired bureaucrats to apply for vice-chancellor posts at 27 public sector universities in the south-eastern province, is being resisted beyond the province at national level as it is seen as a precedent that could be followed by other provincial governments.

“We strongly oppose at national level the move by the provincial government to appoint bureaucrats as vice-chancellors in Sindh Province, as this would set a stage for usurping the autonomy of the universities in other provinces as well.

It would give administrative control of the universities into the hands of politicians,” Iqbal Jatoi, president of the Islamabad chapter of the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Associations (FAPUASA), told University World News.

Opposition from regulator

Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission (HEC), the federal regulator of universities across the country, also opposed the amendment that removes the need to have a PhD to qualify as a vice-chancellor candidate. Instead, a masters degree will be enough.

Amid a teacher boycott of classes in Sindh, chairperson of the federal HEC, Professor Mukhtar Ahmed wrote a letter to Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah just before the bill passed, urging him to withdraw the plan.

“The amendment, if passed, would be a retrogressive step that will not only have serious consequences on academic standards but would also affect academic freedom and critical thinking,” he wrote.

The letter dated 17 January stated: “Any such appointments of non-academic administrators undermine the academic integrity of the universities.”

Ahmed asserted the HEC is the sole standard-setting agency in the country, and any plan to alter vice-chancellor appointment criteria must be shared with the HEC.

Minister’s statement fuels more anger

However, Shah claimed on 23 January, during an event aired by national television, that “the HEC is instigating these protests, and we know how to deal with this situation. I warn teachers to stop this [protest] or get ready to be held accountable.”

He went as far as to claim of vice-chancellors: “Some of these people have charges of sexual harassment and corruption at the universities.”

Prevailing malpractice, corruption, and administrative inefficacy necessitated an amendment to the provincial university law, according to Shah.

“Given the dire administrative conditions in public sector universities, which are on the verge of collapse, the cabinet decided to amend the law to include a requirement for administrative experience,” he said at the event attended by many heads of universities and institutions of higher learning.

This led to outrage, with campus protests intensifying following these remarks and condemnation pouring in from across the country.

In support of the protests and class boycott by university teachers in Sindh, the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) central president Amjad Abbas Magsi said: “We denounce the statement made by the chief minister and support the legitimate protest against the Sindh government's illogical and detrimental decision regarding the change in appointment criteria for vice chancellors.”

FAPUASA said in a statement: “It is important to clarify that vice-chancellors are not only administrative heads but also chair critical academic bodies, such as the academic council, syndicate, senate, and the Board of Advanced Studies and Research, where MPhil and PhD degrees are awarded.

“How can a non-PhD individual, who lacks any knowledge of research, MPhil, or PhD programmes, effectively promote research and academics in universities? Universities are institutions of higher learning and research, not mere management entities,” the statement said.

Protests to continue

While the boycott of classes was expected to end this week, FAPUASA has said it will continue to protest against the amendment.

In a statement issued on 5 February, Abdul Rehman Nangraj, general secretary of the FAPUASA’s Sindh chapter, said the class boycott, which began on 17 January, would end on 6 February.

“We acknowledge that the prolonged boycott has disrupted students' education, and we deeply regret the academic setbacks they have faced,” he said in a statement.

But other forms of protest, including boycotts of visits from ministers, provincial assembly members, and bureaucrats to campuses; lobbying on the national level against the amendment, and challenging the amendment in the courts as “unconstitutional”, would continue.

Shah continued to defend the plan, which he insisted was intended to improve university administration.

“It is not necessary that a PhD research scholar could be a good administrator. The position of a vice-chancellor needs administrative skills and for the same reason, we are broadening the criteria so that people [with] good administrative skills could be appointed as vice-chancellors at the universities,” he stated.

However, he has clarified that professors would still be able to apply for vice-chancellor posts, according to Geo News, a television channel.

Opposition parties, including the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), and Jamaat e Islami, opposed the amendment calling it detrimental to academia in the province.

Assembly members of these parties tore up copies of the amended law on the floor of the house and chanted slogans against the provincial government led by the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP).