The teaching and non-teaching staff and students of the Gomal University have expressed concern over the appointment of senior professors against administrative positions as they believe this has badly affected academic and research activities in the university. The senior professors and PhD degree holders have focused attention on getting the prized jobs in different projects or in the university administration instead of promoting research activities. No new research scholars could be produced by the university since long,” said an official of the university while talking to The News on the condition of anonymity. According to sources, Prof Dr Najibullah of the Public Administration Department was appointed as registrar, Prof Dr Zahid Awan of the Business Administration Department was named the director finance, Prof Dr Allah Nawaz of the Public Administration Department is working as controller of examinations, Dr Safdar Baloch of the Agronomy Department is serving as director academics, Dr Muhammad Sadiq of the Islamiyat Department as additional controller, Dr Muhammad Aslam of the Agriculture Department as additional controller, Dr Iqbal Zeb is working as director works and Dr Sher Kamal of the Business Administration Department is serving as the provost. When reached on the phone, acting vice-chancellor of the university, Prof Dr Inayatullah Babar confirmed that senior professors were holding administrative positions. However, he added that they were also doing their research and academic activities in their respective departments. He said there were enough PhD degree holders in the departments of the university and, therefore, the research activities had not been affected. “The university has produced several research papers and thesis, which has improved its ranking,” he said. On the other hand, the teachers are of the opinion that the senior faculty members who are supposed to produce Ph D scholars and improve the ranking of the university could hardly find time to deliver lectures to the students of master’s due to their hectic routine while occupying the administrative positions in the university. An official in the university administration said the most serious aspect of the issue was that the professors knew little about administrative and financial matters due to which the pendency of different cases has increased during the last five to six months and files are piled up in their offices. The students and other administrative staffer believed that these PhD professors were not appointed to work as head of the administration or the finance and examinations departments as their prime responsibility was to improve the quality of education and produce M Phil and PhDs.
Source :The News.
