The Government of Pakistan's Ministry of Finance has issued an Office Memorandum (No. F.4(6)R-4/2016-PT) notifying a revised pay package for university teachers serving under the Tenure Track System (TTS). The new TTS-2026 pay scales take effect from 1 July 2026 and have been widely reported as a 35% salary increase — though, as explained below, the actual raise differs significantly across faculty ranks.
What is the Tenure Track System?
The TTS is a merit-based faculty career structure at Pakistani universities, distinct from the traditional Basic Pay Scale (BPS) system. It offers higher salaries in exchange for stricter performance and research requirements. Unlike BPS employees, TTS faculty do not receive the annual across-the-board raises announced in the federal budget, which is why their pay had remained largely stagnant for several years before this revision.
What the notification says
The memorandum applies to Professors, Associate Professors and Assistant Professors appointed under the TTS. Faculty members who were in service as of 30 June 2026 are to be moved to the corresponding stage of the new TTS-2026 scale, preserving their existing position in the pay structure.
Revised TTS pay scales (per month)
| Rank | Previous minimum | New minimum | Previous maximum | New maximum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professor | Rs 394,875 | Rs 407,230 | Rs 684,450 | Rs 712,030 |
| Associate Professor | Rs 263,250 | Rs 370,810 | Rs 493,590 | Rs 645,610 |
| Assistant Professor | Rs 175,500 | Rs 288,020 | Rs 356,475 | Rs 553,820 |
Why the "35%" figure is debated
Although the package is described as a 35% increase, the benefit is not uniform. Reports indicate assistant professors gain the most in percentage terms, while professors at the top of their scale see a far smaller rise. Several TTS faculty associations have raised concerns about these anomalies and about the fact that the additional cost is expected to be borne largely by individual universities rather than through dedicated Higher Education Commission (HEC) funding — a point that has raised questions about how sustainable the raise will be for cash-strapped institutions.
Bottom line
After years of stagnation, the TTS-2026 package is a meaningful revision for university faculty, especially at the assistant and associate levels. However, faculty bodies argue it falls short of a true across-the-board 35% raise. Affected faculty should consult their university's finance office and the official Ministry of Finance memorandum for their exact revised figures.