By Khalid Mahmood Awan The exploitation of Govt. Colleges from Public Sector University (IUB, Islamia University Bahawalpur )

It is a matter of great concern that ‘Govt. Graduate Colleges’ of the whole province and especially Bahawalpur Division are facing discrimination and hegemonic treatment at the hands of public sector university, IUB, Islamia University Bahawalpur. It is very alarming that the new admissions of BS Program of the Govt. Graduate Colleges are severely affected by discrimination and mala fide intention of IUB. The deliberate and discriminatory policy of admissions and other policies of IUB are affecting Govt. Colleges, and especially ‘Govt. Graduate Colleges’, whose strength of students is decreasing and their reputation and future are at stake. IUB is blindly following and protecting its own corporate and financial interests by hook and by crook, and in doing so, it is selfishly violating its own rules and regulations. On the one hand its selfish policies are affecting the ‘Govt. Graduate Colleges’ under its jurisdiction, while on the other hand it is decreasing its own quality of education and standard, which can be judged from various surveys and indexes of higher education. IUB has adopted dual policies, one for itself, while other for ‘Affiliated Govt. Colleges’. IUB do not want and afford development of the ‘Affiliated Govt. Graduate Colleges’, as it considers them its competitors in the open competition of seeking admissions of BS Program. IUB is unethically promoting its corporate interests, while deliberately damaging the welfare of Govt. Graduate Colleges. The lack of uniformity of IUB policies is matter of concern at this present stage of Pakistan, which is already lingering far behind in the comity of nations in the fields of quality education, learning and technology. 

Lets us see the things in detail that how the ‘Govt. Graduate Colleges’, which are affiliated to IUB are being badly affected by discriminatory policies and especially admissions policy of ‘BS Program Session 2022-26’ in the academic year 2022.

1. IUB greedily and selfishly started it admissions for its new academic year 2022 of ‘Fall Semester’ of ‘BS Program Session 2022-26’ in August – September according to its academic calendar 2022 even before the announcement of BISE result of intermediate class on the basis of first year results of candidates. But ‘twenty two (22)’ ‘Govt. Graduate Colleges’ of Bahawalpur Division, which come under the jurisdiction of IUB, were not allowed to start such admissions of BS Program. IUB put aside it’s all merit system or any other evaluation criteria of admissions and granted admissions in BS Program to the candidates, who had even third division, which is violation of its own admissions rules and regulations. IUB lust for admissions did not end here, the number of admissions in BS Program was endless and uncountable, which would ultimately destroy the quality of higher education. IUB admitted hundreds of students in one class and in one discipline. It has become very arduous task for IUB administration to manage such exuberant students in class rooms, hostels and through transportation. The exiting time table of IUB BS Program is not only ridiculous but also puzzling for the admitted students of the university. The universities of the world maintain their standard and worth by limiting the seats (50 to 60) at the time of admission in any program to ensure quality education, but IUB has only one ambition and that is to get maximum or even infinite admissions to fill their coffers by fair and foul means.
The unfortunate tale does not end here; BISE’s declared the result of intermediate class in October. IUB once again selfishly announced its admissions of ‘Spring Semester’ in October, which according to ‘Semester Schedule’ of IUB would be made in January and February. Such greedy and ruthless policies (two admissions in three months with low merit) of IUB severely damaged the admissions of twenty two (22) Govt. Graduate Colleges of Bahawalpur Division. Now the admission process of BS Program is almost at the end, but the Govt. Graduate Colleges of Bahawalpur Division have very low admissions in the academic year of 2022-26, as compared to the previous years, in comparison to IUB. As a result of all this, there is severe concern among the administration and faculty of the Govt. Graduate Colleges, which may face various challenges in future. IUB is violating its own rules and no authority is checking its current discriminatory and hegemonic policies. In the same way, there should be uniform admission policy for IUB and all the affiliated colleges, which come under its jurisdiction, so that the quality education may be ensured by all public sector institutions smoothly.          

2. The ruthless and selfish admission policy of IUB for ‘5th Semester’ is even more ridiculous, unscrupulous and ironic. IUB is admitting the students of other institutions on the basis of 3^rd semester result, while these students neither have any passing result card of 4^th semester nor have NOC from the previous institutions. Such admissions are mockery of university education and morality. 

3. IUB is discriminately treating and hegemonically controlling its affiliated colleges in all respects to make itself a profitable institute, while on the other hand its policies are causing severe damage to the future and reputation of its affiliated colleges. IUB conducts final examinations of every semester of BS Program but it takes a very long time (even more than four to five months) to declare the result of final examination of the affiliated colleges. The students and their parents remain uncertain and disturbed about their future due to late announcement of results.

Contrary to the results of affiliated colleges, the results of IUB own final examination of BS Program are announced within ten to fifteen (10 to 15) days. They strictly follow their own academic calendar but least bother about the future of those students, who are admitted in affiliated colleges. Such dual policy of IUB is always criticized by the educationists, who strongly believe in the uniformity of rules and regulations of universities, in the promotion of standard and quality of education.

4. Like other discriminatory policies of IUB, there is also unequal distribution of marks in each paper of 100 marks of BS Programs. IUB follows marks division such as Mid Term 30, Sessional 20, Final 50, while for affiliated colleges the division of marks is Mid Term 20, Sessional 20, Final 60. This dual division of marks is a matter of serious concern for the teachers and the taught of the affiliated colleges.

5. The financial crisis is looming on the head of IUB and it is exhibiting itself in the shape of its ‘Bounce Checks’ given to the teachers of affiliated Govt. Colleges by the treasurer of IUB. The cheques of even very small amount of even 2000 to 3000 Rs. are shamelessly bounced from IUB banks accounts. Since 2018, the due remuneration is not paid to the teachers of the affiliated colleges of their duties, such as paper setters, paper marking of mid exams and invigilation.

6.  Last but not the least, ‘Uniform Course Contents & Syllabus’ are not timely provided to the affiliated colleges from IUB. The teachers and students remain disturbed due to uncertain syllabus, which they are following. In the result of it, the question paper of final examination becomes a dilemma and riddle for the students of affiliated colleges, because it is set out of course. Often it results in resentment and unrest of the students and they resort to strike. 

In the same way, contrary to IUB there is no provision for the teachers of affiliated colleges to become externals of the subjects, they are teaching to their students. 

On the whole, the above mentioned dual policies of IUB are a serious threat to the future of ‘Affiliated Govt. Graduate Colleges’. The higher authorities like HED and HEC are requested to look into the matter seriously, otherwise it would cause irreparable loss to Govt. Colleges, their teachers and the students. There should be some check and balance on the unethical pursuit of corporate interests of public sector university, IUB, which is causing irreparable loss to the Govt. Graduate Colleges. Exact facts, figures and data can be evaluated, checked and examined from different sources of these public institutions.

Khalid Mahmood Awan
Assistant Prof. of Political Science
Department of Political Science
Govt. Sadiq Egerton Graduate College Bahawalpur

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