HEC Scholarships: PU Terminates 12 Professors
The move comes as the HEC seeks to increase funding for universities, with a focus on promoting academic excellence and accountability. The allocation of Rs86 billion for the next fiscal year is expected to support the development of higher education in the country, while the university's actions against the absconding professors serve as a reminder of the importance of fulfilling service obligations.
Punjab University has terminated 12 professors who received foreign scholarships worth millions of rupees but failed to return to serve, prompting the university to take action to recover the funds and block their national identity cards and passports.
The professors had been granted scholarships to pursue PhDs abroad, with seven receiving funding from the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and five funded directly by the university. However, despite their commitment to serve for five years upon completion of their studies, the 12 professors disappeared without fulfilling their service obligations. The university has now issued letters to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of Interior to recover the funds and take action against the absconding professors.
The terminated professors include Farah Sattar, Syed Mohsin Ali, Kiran Ayesha, Rabia Ibad, Khawaja Khurram Khurshid, Shumaila Ishaq, Usman Rahim, Salman Aziz, Muhammad Nawaz, Javeria Iqbal, Seemab Ara, and Samia Mahmood. The amount owed by the absconding professors ranges from Rs 6 million to Rs 84 million, with the university confiscating their identity cards and taking legal action to recover the dues.
In a separate development, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) has requested the federal government to allocate Rs86 billion for universities in the next fiscal year, a significant increase from the current year's allocation of Rs65 billion. HEC Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed stated that the government is likely to approve this amount, giving priority to higher education.
The university's decision to terminate the professors and take action to recover the funds is a significant step towards ensuring accountability and transparency in the use of government-funded scholarships. The development also highlights the importance of prioritizing higher education and allocating sufficient funds to support academic excellence.