23 Public Universities Running Without Regular Vice Chancellors as Governance Crisis Hits Higher Education
Nadeem Tanoli
Islamabad: Pakistan’s higher education sector faces a serious governance challenge as 23 public sector universities across the country are being run without regular vice chancellors or rectors. This leaves key academic institutions dependent on acting heads for administrative and policy decisions. The disclosure was made in a written reply tabled in the Senate, raising fresh concerns over delays in appointments, weak institutional continuity and the impact of prolonged acting charges on public universities.According to the reply submitted by Federal Education Minister Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, 23 out of 163 public sector universities and higher education institutions are currently functioning without regular or permanent vice chancellors or rectors. The government informed the Senate that these institutions are being managed through acting charge arrangements, while no position has formally been shown as vacant in the summary table.The situation is most serious in the federal area, where seven public sector institutions are being run by acting heads. These include National Skills University Islamabad, National University of Pakistan Rawalpindi, International Islamic University Islamabad, Kalam Bibi International Women Institute Bannu, Virtual University of Pakistan Lahore, Quaid i Azam University Islamabad and Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design Lahore.National University of Pakistan Rawalpindi has had no regular rector appointed since its establishment, with the post shown as pending since April 2023. National Skills University Islamabad has also been functioning without a regular vice chancellor since October 2023, while the International Islamic University Islamabad has been without a regular rector since November 2024.Balochistan also presents a troubling picture, with four public sector universities operating under acting vice chancellors. These include Mir Chakar Khan Rind University Sibi, University of Turbat, University of Gwadar and University of Makran Panjgur. Mir Chakar Khan Rind University Sibi has been without a regular vice chancellor since August 2023, making it one of the longest-pending cases listed in the official record. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, four universities are functioning under acting heads, including University of Engineering and Applied Sciences Swat, University of Swabi, Khyber Medical University Peshawar and The University of Agriculture Peshawar. The reply stated that interviews have been conducted for the University of Engineering and Applied Sciences Swat, but a regular vice chancellor is still yet to be appointed.Punjab has four institutions without regular vice chancellors, including Punjab University of Technology Rasul-Mandi Bahauddin, Mir Chakar Khan Rind University of Technology Dera Ghazi Khan, The Women University Multan and Rawalpindi Women University. In Sindh, two universities are being run through acting charge arrangements, including Peoples University of Medical and Health Sciences for Women Shaheed Benazirabad and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Sakrand.Azad Jammu and Kashmir also has two institutions without regular vice chancellors. These include The Azad Jammu and Kashmir University of Bhimber, where no regular vice chancellor has been appointed yet, and The University of Poonch Rawalakot.The government stated that appointments of vice chancellors and rectors fall within the domain of the respective federal and provincial governments under the relevant university laws and statutes. It said delays are generally caused by procedural requirements, including the formation of search committees, scrutiny and evaluation of candidates, and approval by competent authorities.The Higher Education Commission informed that it regularly sensitizes federal and provincial governments about such vacancies and emphasizes timely appointments to ensure effective governance and continuity in higher education institutions. However, the official data shows that several universities have remained under acting heads for months and, in some cases, for years.The disclosure has raised important questions about whether public universities can maintain academic standards, financial discipline, policy direction and institutional reforms without permanent leadership. Prolonged acting charge arrangements can weaken decision-making and create uncertainty for students, faculty and administration.The written reply was submitted in response to a question by Senator Dr. Zarqa Suharwardy Taimur, who sought details of public sector universities functioning without regular or permanent rectors or vice chancellors, the duration of these vacancies and the reasons behind delays in appointments.
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