Timings, dearth of resources may delay MS/PhD classes at Karachi University

[Naveed Yaseen]

By Farhan Zafar
KARACHI: The MS and PhD programs of University of Karachi (KU) are likely to face a delay as university teachers have opposed holding the programs until the availability of basic resources and formulating flexible timings for classes.

“Karachi University Teachers Society (KUTS) has unanimously opposed holding classes of MS and PhD as it is a tough task to spare time for taking doctoral classes besides teaching in the morning and evening shifts,” a highly placed source in Board of Advances Studies and Research (BASR) told Daily Times.

He said that BASR had proposed timings between 9:00 am to 2:00 pm for the one-year course work of MS classes as well as of PhD. “KUTS views that the proposed timings are in conflict with the morning shift at the university which starts at 8:00 am and ends at around 2:00 pm,” the source added. He said that the timings would be a problem when the second year of the MS program starts where the candidates will have to write a thesis.

“At present, each KU department has two or three Higher Education Commission (HEC) recommended supervisors for research work. It will be impossible for the supervisors to simultaneously manage teachings shifts of the university and to guide candidates during their thesis,” the source said.

Apart from the time management issue, the availability of resources and separate classes for doctoral degrees may also delay the starting of the session. The separate block meant for the MS and PhD classes is still under construction.

With classes commencing from January 1, 2009, the university has issued the final lists of candidates for MS and PhD courses. Some 1,600 candidates have been selected in 53 departments of arts, science and pharmacy faculties for doctoral degrees.

Dean Faculty of Science Prof Shahana Urooj Kazmi is heading the committee for MS and PhD admissions. She opines that time management should not be a problem for the doctoral classes as the candidates have to attend two courses at their chosen departments and two at any other department as per need of their course work. “This will ease the load on the teachers and they will be able to adjust their timings for the classes.”

Kazmi said that the timing issue has emerged because it is the first time that admissions in the MS and PhD programs were given simultaneously while earlier the doctoral degree admissions remained open throughout the year.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...008_pg12_5