The Sindh Government has announced a substantial salary increase for vice-chancellors at public universities in the province.
According to a notification from the Department of Universities and Boards, the minimum annual salary for VCs will now be Rs684,450, reflecting an increase of approximately Rs20,000.
In addition, the ‘vice-chancellor allowance,’ which is 20% of the basic salary, will now surpass Rs136,000. This adjustment brings the total monthly compensation for VCs to over Rs820,000.
This decision, approved by the Sindh Chief Minister, ensures that the enhanced pay structure will remain in effect for the remainder of the VCs’ terms. The timing of this announcement is notable as it follows the appointment of five new VCs in Sindh just a day earlier.
Additionally, several VCs are already midway through or beyond their current terms, meaning that many will benefit from this significant salary adjustment. The increase is intended to align their remuneration with the highest Tenure Track System (TTS) scale.
The salary adjustment follows a report published by The Express group on June 20, which highlighted discrepancies and comparatively low salaries among VCs in Sindh. The report revealed that some VCs were earning salaries comparable to, or only slightly above, those of professors, while others received between Rs1 million and Rs3 million due to the absence of a fixed upper limit.
Notably, a former VC reportedly earned around Rs3 million per month without necessary approvals.
The recent notification does not specify an upper limit for VCs’ salaries, describing the increase as part of the ‘standardization/rationalization’ of pay. This move contrasts with the Higher Education Commission’s recent approval of a minimum monthly salary of Rs1 million for VCs across Pakistan.
However, delays at the provincial level mean this decision has yet to be implemented in Sindh.
