IHC seeks details on discriminatory faculty promotions in HEIs

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has taken notice of alleged discriminatory practices in the promotions and appointment systems for faculty members in public sector universities, directing that details be submitted on the matter before the next hearing.

The case, which centres around growing discontent among teachers working under the Basic Pay Scale (BPS) system, was heard by Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani.

The petitioners have accused the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of favouring faculty under the Tenure Track System (TTS) while denying timely promotions to BPS teachers.

During the course of hearing, the petitioners’ counsel argued that despite repeated representations and a written agreement between the HEC and the teachers’ association in March 2022, no progress has been made towards establishing a promotion policy or service structure for BPS faculty.

Meanwhile, he contended, promotions under the TTS system continue swiftly, with some teachers even receiving backdated promotions. The situation has led to cases where junior colleagues or former students of BPS teachers now serve as department chairs or deans under the TTS system.

Justice Kayani acknowledged the gravity of the issue, remarking that the court understands the concerns raised and may issue orders to halt unequal and unfair promotion practices if relevant details are submitted.

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It may be remembered that more than 50,000 university teachers across the country are affiliated with the All Public Universities BPS Teachers Association (APUBTA), which has long been demanding a transparent and equitable policy. Despite recommendations from both houses of Parliament and a promise from HEC to address the issue within three months, teachers say they have seen no implementation in over three years.

The National Assembly’s Special Committee on Affected Employees, as well as its Standing Committee on Education and the Senate counterpart, have all directed the HEC to finalise and approve the long-awaited policy. However, HEC officials have reportedly failed to respond to the court’s inquiries and written reminders from legislators.

Adding to the discontent, the government has recently notified a 35 per cent higher pay scale for TTS faculty, including an additional annual salary—further fuelling concerns of systematic bias.

APUBTA members say the court’s involvement has raised hopes among thousands of BPS teachers nationwide that an end to what they describe as “institutional injustice” may finally be in sight.