Sindh Government Plans to Raise University Professors’ Retirement Age to 65

KARACHI:The Sindh government has decided to propose increasing the retirement age of university professors in the province from 60 to 65 years.

The decision was discussed at a meeting of vice-chancellors from 32 public-sector universities in Sindh, where Sindh Chief Secretary Asif Haider Shah highlighted the provincial government’s financial support for higher education.

He said Sindh provides greater grant-in-aid support to universities compared with other provinces, adding that public-sector universities in the province are receiving grants worth Rs44.46 billion.

The chief secretary emphasized the need to develop a comprehensive policy and clear criteria for establishing new university campuses. He said decisions should take into account both educational requirements and financial considerations.

He added that a summary proposing an increase in the retirement age of university professors from 60 to 65 years would be submitted to the provincial cabinet for consideration.

According to Asif Haider Shah, vice-chancellors also expressed concerns regarding the Right to Information law. They pointed out that requests are sometimes made for information that has no direct connection with the public interest.

The chief secretary further noted that pension liabilities had become a major challenge for universities. To reduce their financial burden, he urged institutions to discourage unnecessary recruitment, particularly in non-teaching departments.

The proposed increase in retirement age is expected to be considered by the provincial cabinet before any final decision is implemented.

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