Major Step to Strengthen Higher Education: Recommendations Approved to Grant TTS Faculty 35% of Baseline Salary In the 8th meeting of the Task Force on Faculty Pay Scale System in Higher Education, chaired by Federal Minister Prof. Ahsan Iqbal, key stakeholders from the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and provincial higher education representatives reviewed the challenges facing university faculty compensation. A major concern highlighted during the meeting was that Tenure Track System (TTS) salaries have remained frozen since 2021, and the 35% differential in the TTS scale has effectively eroded over time. This situation is making it increasingly difficult for universities to attract and retain top academic talent. Prof. Ahsan Iqbal emphasized that without capable and competitive faculty, the higher education system risks serious decline. To address this, the Task Force approved recommendations to provide TTS faculty with 35% of the baseline salary, restoring the intended incentive structure. At the same time, the Minister stressed that better compensation must go hand in hand with strict enforcement of performance indicators to ensure accountability and academic excellence. The Minister also instructed that: 📍 HEC should work closely with provincial governments to ensure increased budget allocations for universities. 📍 Not all PhDs are equal in quality, and therefore special incentives should be offered to PhD graduates from the world’s top 50 universities. 📍 The initiative reflects the government’s commitment to revitalizing Pakistan’s higher education sector by promoting merit, excellence, and global competitiveness
