The Sindh government has officially enacted a new law setting the maximum age for candidates applying for vice chancellor (VC) positions at public universities in the province at 62 years. This legal provision, introduced through the Amendment Act 2025, effectively bars individuals older than 62, including senior academics and bureaucrats, from being considered for the role.
The amended legislation brings several key changes. Notably, it limits the eligibility of bureaucrats for VC appointments and codifies the age restriction, which was previously only part of the appointment guidelines. Now, this regulation applies to all 30 public universities in Sindh and must be followed for all future VC selections.
An exception has been made for candidates with a judicial background applying to lead the province’s only law-focused university, Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto University of Law (SZABUL). Under the new rules, judges of the Sindh High Court may apply for the VC post at SZABUL until the age of 63, while Supreme Court judges are permitted to apply up to the age of 67. However, for all other applicants—including educationists and bureaucrats—the age ceiling of 62 remains in place, even for SZABUL.
The law also provides for a one-time reappointment of a sitting VC after the completion of their first term. In cases where an individual is appointed at the maximum age of 62, they can complete a term until age 65 and, if reappointed, may continue serving until age 69.
While the 62-year age limit previously existed in administrative rules, it had not been formally legislated, and exceptions allowing individuals to serve up to 65 were sometimes made. The new law eliminates that ambiguity.
Additionally, the legislation permits Grade 21 officers from various bureaucratic services, such as PAS, Ex-PCS, PSS, and PMS, to apply for VC roles with a master’s degree. In contrast, academic applicants must hold a PhD and have attained the rank of full professor, highlighting a significant distinction in the qualifications required for different applicant groups.
