ISLAMABAD: After several other illegal appointments, the International Islamic University (IIU) Islamabad has appointed a new professor in the university.
According to the notification copy available with Daily Times, the IIU administration hired Dr Nadeem Ahmed Sheikh as associate professor for a period of two years in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the campus.
Initially, as per notification, he was appointed on contractual basis. However, he would be promoted to professor automatically from May 1.
“The president of IIU in consultation with the rector is pleased to offer you an appointment on contract basis in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, for a period of two years. This offer of appointment will be valid as associate professor until April 30 and will automatically be treated as professor from May 1,” reads the notification.
It further added that remaining other terms and conditions including pay and benefits shall remain the same after conversion from associate professor to professor with effect from May 1.
As per Higher Education Commission (HEC) rules for the appointment of associate professor, the candidate should have 10 years of teaching/research experience and 10 publications in HEC recognised journals along with a PhD degree in relevant field while for the post of professor, he/she should have 10 years teaching/research experience with 15 research papers in at least Y category.
A well informed official in the administration wing, however, disclosed that Dr Nadeem Ahmed Sheikh also lacked the said legal criteria.
Besides, he added, there is prescribed legal procedure for such appointments including post’s advertisement in national press, its scrutiny, holding a selection board meeting and after the completion, the al syndicate approves the post finally. But in the case of Dr Nadeem, the official revealed, the administration did not follow this practice.
IIU Rector Professor Dr Masoom Yasinzai said, “Actually, there was severe shortage of the qualified scholars due to which we hired Dr Nadeem on little comprise,” adding that Dr Nadeem is foreign qualified and was not willing to join IIU less than as a professor cadre that was another reason to appoint him as associate professor on the term for his promotion to professor automatically in May.
Dr Masoom Yasinzai further claimed that IIU’s president has prerogative to appoint any official until grade 21. “So, president did this while using his legal power,” he maintained. According to the available information, this was not the first induction made in violation of fundamental rules, but many other such unlawful practices have been made particularly in the last few years.
Sources said that Dr Saeed Badshah was hired against the post of associate professor and in violation of rules. He lacks the minimum requirement set by HEC. Similarly, a couple of associate professors in the law department, Dr Muhammad Mushtaq and Dr Naseem Razi have also deficiency of published research papers in HEC recognised journals. Both faculty members, according to the sources, hold only two and six research papers respectively.
Dr Muhammad Munir, a professor in the Law Department, who is also vice president of the university, also lacks published papers. He has only six research papers in HEC recognised journals with a deficiency of nine papers.
Besides, the sources said, the university appointed a large number of faculty members against administrative slots that is clear violation of law. In a meeting held in January, the National Assembly Standing Committee on Education & Professional Training also gave its recommendations for the removal of faculty members working against administrative slots in the university. However, practical work in this regard is yet to be done by the IIU administration, said an official privy to the matter.
Published in Daily Times, February 28th 2018.