How to get a job in Pakistani universities? A “legal” favoritism.

Some people do illegal things directly whereas other seek means to do an illegal thing legally, a best example of the latter could the recruitment system of the Pakistani universities. You may find large size advertisements of vacancies, a strict and laborious process of submitting the application with high processing fees, followed by many formal practices such as test/demonstration/selections boards and their ilk, but at the end of the day you will see someone selected for the post who has already been working on the same position. All the process, from advertisement to the final interview will seem nothing more than a formality. Isn’t it strange enough, doesn’t it boggle one’s mind? Yes surely.

The technique is simple, which in the common parlance may be termed as “legal favoritism” which is indeed a soft tool of jobbery that neither accrues infamy nor any kind of accountability. The modus operandi is as follows. The desired candidate is first inducted either through the need-based, ad hoc-based or a short term contract. These processes don’t create any noticeable fuss and rarely come into the limelight, the process in concluded peacefully inside the premises of the campus. The designated person remains more a yes-man than a professional in these hours of probation. He has to develop cordial relations with all the stakeholders and may go to any length, because the people around him will certainly have a say in his final selection. The experience of these days is crucial for him as it will tell upon his final selection or rejection. The favor of informal recruitment (need-based, ad hoc-based or a short term contract) is extended to few and is not an open opportunity to all. They may include relatives of the already working employees, a student of the university (with certain desired characteristics) or someone recommended by someone.

Advertisement for the vacancies appears in dailies, the unemployed lot rush to submit their forms, formalities follow, and at the end of the day the face does not change who has already been working on the same position, what changes, is his attitude, he transforms from yes-men ship to a professional man because the reign of uncertainty is over then, and he finds himself landed on a safer shore.

The transparency is demonstrated by the presence of an external member in the selection board, but the logic is simple. If he shows reluctance in accepting the recommendation from the host university, tomorrow a member from the host university may visit his university ex-officio. Therefore they can rarely ignore each other recommendations.

The autonomy of the universities should not be questioned but it must pertain to the academic process. The recruitment system needs to be made transparent and across the board, which in the present setup is largely vulnerable to numerous irregularities. The best option will be to form a permanent universities recruitment commission, or empower the existing public services commissions to make a uniform recruitment for all the universities under their jurisdiction. Only then one can see some light at the end of the tunnel.

CLICK TO FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK.

READ ALSO

Political issues of Pakistan.

LINK1

LINK2

LINK 3
LINK4

SOCIAL ISSUES.

LINK1