Faculty members at Kohat University of Science and Technology (KUST) have formally requested the Higher Education Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to implement a structured promotion path for teachers under the Basic Pay Scale (BPS).
In a letter addressed to the Honorable Minister of Higher Education, the President of the KUST Academic Staff Association (KASA), Dr. Farman Ullah, highlighted the career stagnation faced by BPS teachers. Unlike their counterparts under the Tenure Track System (TTS) and administrative officers, who receive timely promotions, BPS teachers have remained on the same scale for over two decades.
To address this issue, KUST formed a committee of senior faculty members to propose amendments to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Universities Act 2012 and KUST Statute 2016. The committee, led by Dr. M. Irfan Uddin from the Institute of Computing, recommended minimal changes to the legislation to establish a promotion pathway for BPS teachers, aiming to improve their career progression and the overall quality of education.
The proposed amendments include incorporating teachers into the promotion clauses currently applicable only to administrative officers and introducing a streamlined process for initial appointments and promotions. The committee also suggested provisions for hardship cases, allowing experienced teachers without higher qualifications to be eligible for promotions.
The letter has been forwarded to the Secretary of the Higher Education Department and the Vice-Chancellor of KUST for consideration.
Context of BPS Service Structure in Pakistan
The issue of implementing a structured service and promotion framework for BPS faculty is not unique to KUST. In May 2024, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) proposed a new service structure for public universities across Pakistan. The proposal included establishing a ‘Contributory Pension Fund’ and abolishing the regular post of lecturers to reduce expenditures. The advisory committee, led by Dr. Anwar Al Hasan Gilani, recommended that the regular teaching cadre in universities should commence from the position of assistant professor, with junior positions being contractual.
In December 2022, the Governor of Punjab approved the first service structure for Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU), encompassing employees from grades 1 to 22. This approval was seen as a significant step toward addressing service structure issues in public universities.
Despite these developments, the implementation of a standardized BPS service structure remains inconsistent across various regions and institutions in Pakistan. The efforts by KUST faculty highlight the ongoing need for a cohesive policy to ensure equitable career progression for BPS teachers nationwide.
