By Obaid Abrar Khan
ISLAMABAD: The Balochistan High Court (BHC) has annulled Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University’s test for education department vacancies and ordered re-taking of all tests through Higher Education Commission (HEC).
The court ordered that HEC will conduct the test before 29 February 2024 and complete all the processes before 31 March 2024.
The court also ordered to submit inquiry report on the test against the 8690 vacant posts of different nomenclatures of teaching staff (BPS-09 to 15) conducted by Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University (SBKWU).
The judgment, available with Pakistan Today, states that the education Department on the strength that gross illegalities and irregularities are being committed in the Department particularly by the ex-government (Education Minister), while the test conducted by the department through Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University (SBKWU) is also against the recruitment policy framed by the Government of Balochistan.
The order said the SBKWU is neither a qualified body to conduct test nor is having any testing service and nor even any experience to conduct such test, that too of the teaching staff at school level. The appointment of such a large number of teachers through an unauthorized and inexperience body in haphazard and cursory manner clearly demonstrates the intention of the appointing authority, however, no concrete steps were taken to ensure the transparency in the entire process.
BHC in its judgment said appointments are being made on basis of nepotism, favoritism, corrupt practices and corruption will have direct impact upon the future generation of the province at large; that the appointments are being made on the basis Recruitment Policy 2019, however, the said policy is neither transparent nor in line with the judgments rendered by this court from time to time.
The judgment said SBKWU was awarded contract to conduct the test against the vacant posts, however, the university has further sublet the contract to a private testing service, which is again in violation of the Policy; whereas this court in number of judgments has declared the process of conducting test through private testing service to be illegal, but again awarding the contract or subletting the contract to the private testing service is not only illegal but in clear violation of the judgments of this court.
The Secretary S&GAD while agreeing with the proposal also pointed out that the Provincial Cabinet in its meeting held on 12th August 2020 has already expressed dissatisfaction on Private Testing Service, thus, the Provincial Minster for Education Balochistan and Provincial Minister for Law & Parliamentary Affairs approached several universities outside Balochistan to find out if they were interested in conducting the screening test.
However, only IBA Sukkur and NUML University expressed their interest, but the Chief Minister while approving the name of the NUML University also directed to solicit the expression of interest of Universities in Balochistan for conducting the screening test and interviews.
Meanwhile, the SBKWU submitted bids, which being lowest was accepted and Letter of Acceptance dated 20th February 2023, was issued to the SBKWU, thereafter, contract agreement dated 23rd February 2023 was executed between the parties.
The BHC ordered to issue new advertisement for inviting fresh applications shall be made within 15 days, while the testing process shall be initiated by or before 15th January 2024, which shall be completed by or before 29th February 2024 and thereafter, the process shall be completed before 31st March 2024.
