KARACHI – The Sindh government has decided to propose an increase in the retirement age of university professors from 60 to 65 years, a move aimed at retaining experienced faculty members in public-sector higher education institutions.
Sindh Chief Secretary Asif Haider Shah announced the proposed change during a meeting with vice-chancellors of 32 public universities across the province. He said a summary seeking approval to extend the retirement age would be forwarded to the provincial cabinet.
The proposal will require cabinet approval before it can be implemented.
During the meeting, the chief secretary said Sindh provides substantial financial assistance to its universities compared with other provinces.
He stated that public universities across Sindh are receiving grants-in-aid amounting to Rs44.46 billion to support their operations and educational activities.
Shah also stressed the need for a comprehensive policy and clear criteria for establishing new university campuses. He said decisions on new campuses should take into account educational requirements, financial sustainability and available resources.
The meeting also discussed concerns raised by vice-chancellors regarding the implementation of the Right to Information law.
According to the chief secretary, university heads had expressed reservations about requests for information that they believe may not have a direct connection to public interest.
The concerns were discussed as part of broader efforts to address administrative and governance challenges facing public universities in the province.
Shah identified pension liabilities as a major financial challenge for universities, warning that these obligations were placing an increasing burden on institutional budgets.
He called for measures to control expenditure, including discouraging unnecessary recruitment, particularly in non-teaching departments.
The chief secretary emphasised the need for universities to manage their financial resources more efficiently while continuing to meet their academic responsibilities.
