Under the TTS initiated in 2004, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) has so far provided billions of rupees to 1,046 teachers of some 60 public sector universities including 150 professors and 851 assistant professors.
According to HEC�s officials these teachers were appointed with an aim not only to enhance their research experience but also promote research culture among the students but educationists alleged that the scheme has so far only helped increase number of publications of the faculty members in international research journals that usually help them ensure their promotion to higher grades.
Sources said HEC has also sent a summary to the Finance Division in the recent past for 35% raise in monthly salaries of TTS teachers that invoked serious criticism from BPS teachers who felt discriminated in their respective institutions.
Under the revised salary structure, salary of a professor on TTS is around Rs300,000, for associate professor over Rs200,000 and for assistant professor the salary is over Rs150,000 per month. The official data showed that the old versions of the HEC�s statutes barred teachers on TTS from taking administrative posts. However, the 2008 statutes removed this distinction. A faculty member on the TTS may be appointed on any academic administrative post in the university, such as director research, dean and chairman.
According to official data, under TTS universities may make appointments of new faculty members such as temporary appointments and tenure track appointments (first term appointments, second term (probationary) appointments and tenured appointments. A faculty member on Tenure Track Scheme may be appointed to any academic administrative post in the university such as director research, dean and chairman.
Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (Fapuasa) Vice President Professor Kaleemullah Bareech said that the TTS faculty members should concentrate on their research, but most of them hold academic posts such as vice chancellor, dean and chairman and the system initiated to promote research culture in higher education institutions has merely become a tool to achieve financial gains.
He said that in order to provide monetary benefits to TTS teachers, the relevant rules have been relaxed to such an extent where they lost their vitality and no more helpful in promoting research in universities. �Introduction of relaxed versions by the HEC was perhaps not �enough� due to which public sector universities prepared their own statutes which did not coamply with even the relaxed rules of the HEC,� he said. The data provided by the HEC stated appointment of a faculty member on TTS or appointment as a tenured faculty member is quite different from each other. �Being on Tenure Track means that one holds promise to be granted permanent tenure. This means that, during the next four years, one has the potential to do good research, establish a research group and demonstrate research excellence,� it said.
It said only a tenured faculty member could assume responsibility in an administrative capacity of vice-chancellor. However, a faculty member working under TTS could assume responsibility in an administrative position of director research, dean of a faculty and head of a department only up to June 2014 because after June 30, 2014 only tenured faculty members would be eligible for such appointments.
HEC Chairman Dr. Javed Leghari, while talking to this correspondent, said promotion of research activity is not a matter of days or few years, as it takes time. �We are right on track to ensure that university students would be greatly involved in research work under experienced and highly qualified teachers.� To a question, he strongly supported those TTS teachers who also hold administrative posts and stated that he himself held an administrative post when he was associated with an American university on tenure track system.
�Only research work is nothing as one also has to do other administrative works. If TTS faculty members carry out administrative work they should do it because we want to benefit from their experience,� he said. Dr. Javed Leghari said that the TTS is the only way to move forward as it has become an international practice. �If we want to adequately provide qualified teachers to our students we should continue with this system. It will ultimately help develop a strong and effective higher education system in the country,� he concluded.