The Ministry of Science and Technology has failed to attract and retain competitive manpower and a total of 155 sanctioned posts are still vacant in its various organisations.
According to official figures, there are 432 posts of scientists in various organisations of the ministry out of these 155 sanctioned posts, mostly for highly trained professionals, have remained vacant despite efforts to recruit manpower.
According to details, a total of 53 posts are vacant in Pakistan Council of Renewable Energy Technologies (PCRET). At present only 23 scientists are working in this organisation. In National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) a total of 39 scientists are working and 26 posts are vacant. Likewise Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) has 59 scientists on its pay role while 8 posts are vacant.
There are 78 scientists working and 21 posts are vacant in Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF). Similarly National Institute of Electronics (NIE) a total of 30 scientists are working while 47 posts are vacant. The Ministry has only one department namely Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) working with full strength of 48 scientists.
Presently, total non-development budget of the ministry of Science and Technology and its 13 organisation is Rs 2.2 billion, with 30 percent posts vacant. After adoption of SPS scales and with 30 present posts remaining vacant the total budget requirement will increase to Rs 2.6 billion in the finical year 2007-08. It will further increase to Rs 3.4 billion when the vacant posts are filled during the year 2008-09.