For the last over 10 years, the Institute is being run on adhoc basis—giving current charges to either faculty members of the university as well as the Institute

DNA

ISLAMABAD: People have voiced concern over the plight of the National Institute of Historical and Cultural Research (NIHCR), a Centre of Excellence of Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad where it is free for all owing to non appointment of a permanent Director as head of the institution since 2011.

For the last over 10 years, the Institute is being run on adhoc basis—giving current charges to either faculty members of the university as well as the Institute. In spite of three consecutive adverts for the appointment of a regular Director, the QAU administration seems unwilling to appoint a regular Director for the Institute, reasons best known to the QAU VC.

The university authorities are running the NIHCR on adhocism on additional charge basis in makeshift style without sensing what intellectual damages are occurring due to inordinate delay in appointing permanent director to this institute of prime importance.

Currently, the NIHCR is under the control of one officer of the respective Centre, a blue-eyed officer of the QAU VC. Owing to one of their colleagues is at the helm of affairs, both faculty and staff take liberty in coming to office late and going out without taking into account their responsibilities. A number of faculty members go out to privately take classes and the administration in collusion with accounts officer calling the shots whereas staff has been burning their hearts for want of resolving their issues for the last ten years.

The NIHCR is a research body in history and culture. Its last permanent director had resigned in 2010-11. Since then the Institute is being run either by a Dean or Head of Department of the university. During this period, in a bid to appoint a permanent director, the post was advertised thrice but every time the process was sabotaged by the university authorities in connivance with the Ministry of Education and Professional Training allegedly in order to appoint their blue eyed.

This phenomenon is unique as nowhere are the institutions allowed to suffer for want of heads. In the country, there is no dearth of educationists of repute but unfortunately they are not given a chance to prove their mettle. Only the mediocre are promoted and encouraged. With the result, we see administrative anarchy in our institutions.