This task force’s goal is to create a better pay scale system that will draw in and keep the best human resources in the HEIs industry.
A special Task Force was established by the Ministry of Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives on Tuesday to examine the Pay Scale System for HR Recruitment in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
This task force’s goal is to create a better pay scale system that will draw in and keep the best human resources in the HEIs industry. The development of a knowledge economy, according to the Minister of Planning, depends on attracting and keeping top talent in higher education.
The minister added that he believes that highly trained HR personnel are an essential part of the innovative ecosystem, contributing to paradigm shifts within the sector, and that tertiary education plays a crucial role in fostering technology transfer and socio-economic uplift in today’s age of disruption and innovation.
It is crucial to have competent faculty and staff in order to maintain competitiveness in the global academic and research landscape and improve Pakistan’s higher education sector’s global positioning.
New competitive, performance-based, and market-based pay scales should help Pakistan become a leader in research and academia by luring in and keeping the best talent.
The Basic Pay Scale (BPS) or the institutions’ own pay scales are currently used in Pakistan’s higher education sector because there are no standardised pay scales.
The pay and benefits that the relevant government has set forth are not consistently being implemented by universities that follow the BPS.
Instead, they use altered versions of the BPS that include new or increased allowances over the recommended rates. The differences in BPS scales among universities have caused pay disparities, leading to conflicts, dissatisfaction, and demotivation among faculty and staff.
This has also negatively impacted the quality of research and education in the nation. Departing from the BPS has raised audit objections, and the Public Accounts Committee is considering audit paras.
The new pay scale system will promote a just and fair compensation system for universities and HEIs, offering performance-based incentives and rewards for top performers. It will be fair, open, and reflective of market rates.