The University of Balochistan (UoB) is the largest and the oldest public-sector varsity of the province, responsible for imparting quality higher education and research in diverse areas. The UoB strives to provide postgraduate students with affordable education, offering programmes in more than 30 disciplines. Following the passage of the Eighteenth Amendment, it faced a severe financial crisis. As a result of the financial plight, academic activity at the university was adversely affected, with teachers launching a campaign in the streets to bring the crisis to the attention of the government. In response, the provincial and federal governments helped resolve the crisis and the varsity is now comparatively stable, financially.
However, the administration and other officials concerned have not taken serious interest in bringing the university up to par with higher educational institutions in other provinces. This is mainly due to dirty politics, malpractices and lack of interest on their part. The utter apathy of the administration and the authorities concerned is apparent through the fact that two new buildings, including one for an FM campus radio station, established in 2014, are yet to become functional.
The honourable vice-chancellor, along with the governor and the chief minister of Balochistan, inaugurated the two buildings last year, with the federal government and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) giving the go-ahead for the radio station to become functional. It is very unfortunate that since its inauguration, the campus radio station has become controversial, resulting in the closure of this Rs100 million project for the past five months despite all the necessary equipment for it having been installed. Approvals to fill various vacancies have been given, yet the university seems least interested in having a functional campus radio for the under-privileged students of Balochistan, who hardly get any opportunity to display their talents.
When asked about the reason for the radio station remaining non-functional, and yet making appointments to various vacant posts without advertising for them, the administration explained that it is under pressure from different political parties, with most of the appointments being made due to officials succumbing to political pressures.
Another important issue that the university faces is the lack of teachers. Although vacancies for the post of lecturers were advertised last year, NTS tests for only few of the posts have been conducted and the necessary selection process for all posts still hasn’t been completed. Furthermore, the administration has not released the final list of those candidates whose NTS tests and selections were conducted. The history department’s failure to display its list despite the lapse of a month highlights negligence on the part of the administration. The university has no funds to apportion when it comes to basic academic activities, like providing stationary to the departments, while money is readily spent on construction of new buildings, which are later not even made functional.
It is the responsibility of the HEC to carry out proper checks and balances, at least on the projects the commission itself approved. The key posts of the UoB seem to be occupied by incompetent individuals, who cannot make hard decisions. The result is that it is the poor students who suffer the most. Their academic year is near its end and their dream of working for the campus radio station, amid many others, remains unfulfilled. The students of this poor province have a list of complaints against the varsity administration and its policies, but are often disappointed by the lack of interest on the part of the government and the varsity higher-ups. Students from the remote and far-flung areas of the least developed province of the country come to UoB with the hope of getting some education, if not of a very high quality, but due to dirty politics and malpractices, they are denied what is due to them.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 28th, 2015.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
this is my response to the article entitled ‘ the University of Balochistan,s Plight the recently published in the express tribune. there is no doubt, that the university of balochistan (UoB)is the largest and the oldest public sector university of the province, responsible for transferring quality higher education and research in different disciplines. However, you have not studied the ranking of Universities from the last ten years. the UoB has been ranked seven position in the country. the FM station is nonfunctional the authorities have already applied for the NOC when got the NOC will be functional soon.
Kind Regards
The province, which is usually referred as Baluchistan was named in 1884 by the Britishers as British Baluchistan. Where only 48,000 of the population was Baloach, 20,000 Jammot and the rest all were Pathan,Sibi District Gazetteir 1905.Since this land was acquired from Afghanistan, according to Gandhmak treaty. The bias of Britishers was not obvious. Since they had been defeated thrice by afghans therefore the Britishers were interested in the dilution of Afghan nationalism. Though later on Makran and Kalat divisions were also included in British Baluchistan and the total province was called as Baluchistan. Today, only 16% of the people in the province are speaking Baluchi, 14%, speaks Barahvi, 15%, speaks Sindhi the rest all are Pashtun speaking Pathans.
There are five universities in the province, the proponents of Baloch cause reach everywhere and install the board of Baluchistan. Quetta is the provincial capital. But still, it’s residents are 90%, Pathan’s. At least this University should be named after a Pathan name or Quetta. Similarly, the radio station should air the voice in languages proportional to their population in the province. Since with the grace of Allah and mighty people Baloach are rulling in the province. Hence they want to name everything after Baloch and rais every voice in Baluchi irrespective of their number.
Therefore, the federal government should intervene and resolve the issue. According to the International norms.
@Dr. M Ayub kakar:
I’m glad to read your prompt response which clearly gives a positive picture of what Balochistan University has achieved in previous years. I believe, Balochistan University, being the oldest and the largest University of the province has cushion to progress more. I request you to please enlighten us that what Balohistan University faculty has so far done to equip students with academic research?. Are our masters, mphil studnets are able to write research papers that are eligible to be published in some reputable research journal of the country and abroad? Apart from this FM Radio station, we are ignoring the major pillar in post-grad studies which is producing researchers that would play an important role in the development of the province.
@pashtoonyar This is a pure example of talking out of context and being ‘racist’. Contribute in the development of province instead of spreading utter hatred.
Agree with Dr M Ayub Kakar sir..
Dear Pashtoonyar kindly do not deepen the gap between these two nations of Balochistan by narratung such biased and prejudiced statements.
Well done bro; the vice chancellor is pressurized by Chief Commissioner house and the political students wings of different parties as well as the mafia in the form of so called university lecturers and professors union. Who make all the appointments through this fake way and that’s why merit is not given chance to recruit the hard working and talented youths from Balochistan for controlling the campus radio and would be fruitful to train the new generation journalists as internees.