KARACHI: Some current and retired faculty members of the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology (FUUAST) have raised concerns over what they said irregularities in the aptitude tests for recruitment of lecturers in the varsity.
As soon as the search committee of the Federal University of Urdu finalized five names for the permanent Vice-Chancellor, the acting management of the varsity rushed to recruit recruit certain favourites.
According to details, 70-90 percent of the questions in the aptitude tests were asked from irrelevant subject, while the question paper for Mass Communication was copied from Oxford University’s website.
The candidates have expressed serious concern over the lack of management by the authority, demanding that the authority should hold a re-test for the recruitment and promotion. However, some candidates have decided to approach the court against the acting management.
Surprisingly, not a single question was related to Urdu media nor was there any question related to the history of print and electronic media in Pakistan. Meanwhile, 90 percent of questions in English literature papers were related to international relations. On the other hand, blue-eyed people of the acting administration cleared the test while other candidates were failed.
Among those who have passed the aptitude test include Sharjeel Naveed, Personal Secretary to the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Assistant Registrar Academic Amir Ahmad Farooqi, Assistant Treasurer Zohaib Farid, Syed Mansoor Kamal, son of former Vice-Chancellor Dr Kamal Din, Dr Sadaf Sultan, sister of Nazim Examiner Ghayasuddin.
In addition, only 3 candidates in Computer Science have cleared the Lecturer’s Test. These three candidates are students of Secretary Selection Board and Acting Registrar Dr. Sarim.
Several Urdu university teachers including Dr Irfan Aziz, Roshan Ali, Asghar Dashti, Dr Kamal Haider and Dr Kamal have issued a joint statement, raising questions over the transparency of the aptitude test. The letter further stated that it would have been better if the test papers had been scrutinized so that such irregularities and mistakes could be avoided.
They wrote in the letter that making appointments through an aptitude test was a good move, but remarked that following other departments functioning under the federal government, the varsity should make sure to hold the test procedure under the supervision of the National Testing Service or any other third party for the sake of transparency.
Meanwhile, members of Federal Urdu University Senate Dr Tauseef Ahmad Khan, Dr Syed Tahir Ali, and Dr Irfan Aziz have appealed to the Chancellor of the University and President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi to convene a meeting of the Senate immediately so that a permanent Vice-Chancellor can be selected.
