The Punjab Autism School and Resource Centre Act 2025

^{^[1]}THE PUNJAB AUTISM SCHOOL AND RESOURCE CENTRE ACT 2025

(Act LXV of 2025)

[05^th August 2025]

An Act to provide for establishment of the Autism School and Resource Centre in the Punjab.

It is necessary to make provisions for establishment of the Autism School and Resource Centre in the Punjab to ensure provision of education and support for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and to promote their inclusion, well-being, and development and to provide for the matters connected therewith and ancillary thereto.

It is hereby enacted as follows:

1. Short title, extent and commencement.– (1) The Act may be cited as the Punjab Autism School and Resource Centre Act 2025.

(2) It extends to whole of the Punjab.

(3) It shall come into force at once.

2. Definitions‎.– In the Act:

(a) “Act” means the Punjab Autism School and Resource Centre Act 2025;

(b) “Autism Spectrum Disorder” means a range of neurodevelopmental conditions characterized by challenges in social interaction, communication and behaviour;

(d) “Centre” means the Punjab Autism School and Resource Centre established under the Act;

(e) “Committee” means the Committee, other than Selection Committee, constituted by the Board under the Act;

(f) “Department” means Special Education Department of the Government;

(g) “Government” means Government of the Punjab;

(h) “Member” means a Member of the Board;

(i) “prescribed” means prescribed by the rules or regulations made or framed under the Act;

(j) “Principal” means the Principal of the Centre;

(k) “regulations” means the regulations framed under the Act;

(l) “rules” means the rules made under the Act; and

(m) “Selection Committee” means the Selection Committee constituted under the Act.

3. Establishment of the Centre.– (1) The Government shall, by notification in the official Gazette, establish a Centre to be known as the Punjab Autism School and Resource Centre for carrying out the purposes of the Act.

(2) The Centre shall be a body corporate having perpetual succession and a common seal with power to acquire, hold, lease, sell or otherwise transfer property, both movable and immovable, which is vested in it for carrying out the purposes of the Act and may by the said name sue or be sued.

(3) The main campus of the Centre shall be at Lahore and the Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, establish such sub-campuses of the Center at such places as it may deem necessary.

4. Constitution of the Board.– (1) The management, administration and control of the Centre shall vest in the Board and all functions of the Centre shall be performed by the Board.

(2) The Board shall consist of the following:

(a)	Chief Minister.	Chairperson
(b)	Chief Secretary.	Vice Chairperson/ Member
(c)	Secretary to the Government, Special Education Department or his representative not below the rank of Additional Secretary.	Member
(d)	Secretary to the Government, Finance Department or his representative not below the rank of Additional Secretary.	Member
(e)	Secretary to the Government, Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department or his representative not below the rank of Additional Secretary.	Member
(f)	Secretary to the Government, Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department or his representative not below the rank of Additional Secretary.	Member
(g)	Secretary to the Government, Higher Education Department or his representative not below the rank of Additional Secretary.	Member
(h)	Secretary to the Government, School Education Department or his representative not below the rank of Additional Secretary.	Member
(i)	Director General, Special Education, Punjab.	Member
(j)	three experts, including at least one woman, in the field of autism nominated by the Government.	Members
(k)	two parents, including at least one woman, of the autistic students studying in the Centre nominated by the Principal.	Members
(l)	two members, including at least one woman, nominated by the Chairperson with experience in the field of education, academia or public service related to Autism Spectrum Disorder.	Members
(m)	the Principal.	Member/ Secretary

(3) The Chairperson may delegate all or any of the functions to the Vice Chairperson for performance under the Act.

(4) The Members at clauses (j), (k) and (l) of sub-section (1) shall be nominated for a period of three years who shall serve during the pleasure of the nominating authority and such Members may resign from his office before the expiry of tenure by submitting their resignation to the nominating authority.

5. Business of the Board.– (1) The Board shall meet at least thrice a year at such time and place as the Chairperson or Vice Chairperson may, on his own motion or on the recommendation of the Principal require, and shall observe such procedure with regard to transaction of its business as may be prescribed by the regulations and, until so prescribed, as the Board may determine.

(2) The meetings of the Board shall be presided over by the Chairperson; or in his absence, by the Vice Chairperson and both the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson are not available then by a Member so elected by the Members present.

(3) One-third of the total Members of the Board or five Members, whichever is higher, shall constitute the quorum for a meeting of the Board.

(4) The decisions of the Board shall be taken by majority of its members present and voting and, in the event of equality of votes, the Chairperson or, in his absence, Vice Chairperson shall have a casting vote.

(5) The Principal shall be the Secretary of the Board, and other Committees constituted by the Board shall appoint their own secretaries, and it shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep and record the proceedings of a meeting in a minute-book:

provided that if the post of the Principal is vacant for any reason, the Board shall nominate any ex-officio member of the Board to act as Secretary of the Board.

(6) No act, decision, order or proceedings of the Board shall be invalid by reason of any vacancy or defect in the constitution of the Board.

6. Powers and functions of the Board‎.– (1). Unless otherwise provided in the Act, the Board shall have powers to:

(a) create posts of teachers, allied professionals and other staff of the Centre for efficient management and administration of the Centre;

(b) appoint such officers, staff or other employees, on its own or through its Principal or Committee, as may be considered necessary for the efficient performance of functions of the Centre, in such manner and on such terms and conditions as may be prescribed and, until so prescribed, as may be determined by the Government;

(c) subject to the suitability as prescribed, transfer, lend or borrow any of its employees or employee of any other body, agency or department of the Government, on deputation basis, as per the policy of the Government;

(d) provide mechanism, through regulations, for efficiency, discipline and accountability of its employees;

(e) oversee, spearhead and monitor the implementation of the guidelines issued by the Board under the Act;

(f) provide instructions to the Centre as it may deem fit and inspect the Centre;

(g) formulate Key Performance Indicators for annual evaluations of the employees of the Centre and to call for the performance report of the employees of the Centre in such manner as may be prescribed;

(h) identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement;

(i) conduct pre-service and in-service training of teachers, allied professionals and other employees of the Centre;

(j) provide support in terms of research and training to autism units functioning in schools under the Department;

(k) carry out research and develop education and therapeutic services for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder;

(l) hold, control, administer, acquire and dispose of property and funds of the Centre and enter into contracts for carrying out the purposes of the Act;

(m) govern and regulate finance, accounts and investments of the Centre, and for that purpose appoint such agents and auditors as may be deemed fit;

(n) determine the form, custody and use of the common seal of the Centre;

(o) collaborate with the Government, national and international organizations and educational institutions for the purposes of the Act;

(p) devise and implement proper system of checks and balances within the Centre;

(q) frame regulations for the terms and conditions of service of the Principal, members of teaching and allied professionals, administrative staff of the Centre and of the officers and employees of the Board;

(r) consider and approve the annual budget of the Centre;

(s) constitute Selection Committee and such other committees as may be deemed necessary for carrying out the purposes of the Act, and such committees shall exercise such powers and perform such functions as may be assigned to them by the Board and the composition of the committees shall be such as the Board may determine;

(t) receive and manage any property transferred, grants, bequests, trusts, gifts, donations, endowments and other contributions made to the Centre, and to invest any fund representing such property, grants, bequests, trusts, gifts, donations, endowments or contributions, and to convert one kind of property into another in such manner as it may deem fit;

(u) coordinate with schools and public or private organizations or institutions in such manner and for such purposes as may be prescribed;

(v) promote public education and awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorder issues through mass media and other means including seminars and workshops;

(w) print or publish any research conducted in the field of autism and education and rehabilitation of autistic students; and

(x) exercise such powers and perform such functions ancillary to the aforementioned or which is essential for performance of its functions.

(2) In case of an emergency, the Chairperson may exercise all powers of the Board:

provided that any action or decision pursuant to such exercise has to be laid before the Board for ratification, in its coming meeting.

(3) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the Act, the Board may delegate any of its powers, duties or functions to the Selection Committee and the Principal or to any other Committee, on such terms and conditions as may be determined by the Board, except the following powers:

(a) approval of regulations;

(b) approval of annual budget of the Centre;

(d) transfer of immovable property of the Centre;

(e) determine the terms and conditions of service of employees; and

(f) constitute a committee of the Board, or fill any vacancy in a committee.

(4) The Board may call for the record of any decision taken by the Principal or by any other member of the teaching, allied professional or administrative staff of the Centre within one year of the decision, to evaluate correctness, legality or propriety of such decision, and to pass such directions and orders thereon as may be deemed appropriate by the Board.

7. Principal.– (1) The Board shall appoint the Principal on the recommendation of the Selection Committee in such manner and on such terms and conditions as may be prescribed but such terms and conditions shall not be varied during his term in office.

(2) The Principal shall be a qualified expert in one or more disciplines of autism in accordance with the prescribed standards.

(3) The Principal shall hold office for a term of five years but the Board may, in special circumstances, extend the term of office of the Principal for such period as it may determine.

(4) The Principal may tender his resignation to the Board and shall cease to hold office upon acceptance of his resignation.

(5) If the office of the Principal is vacant or the Principal is absent or is unable to perform the functions of the Principal owing to any cause, the Board shall make temporary arrangements for the performance of the duties of the Principal.

8. Powers and duties of the Principal.– (1) The Principal shall be the Chief Executive of the Centre and shall be responsible to the Board for control, management and administration of the Centre.

(2) The Principal shall be responsible for preparing the annual budget and submitting the same to the Board for consideration and approval before commencement of a financial year.

(3) The Principal shall have authority to sanction all expenditure as provided in the sanctioned budget.

(4) The Principal shall operate the accounts of the Board and the Centre, and submit the quarterly statement of accounts thereof to the Board for consideration.

(5) The Principal may, in an emergency, take an action which is not otherwise in the competence of the Principal but is in the competence of the Board.

(6) The Principal shall, within seven days of taking an action under sub-section (6), submit a report to the Chairperson of the Board, and the Board shall, in its immediate next meeting, pass such orders on the action taken by the Principal as it may deem appropriate.

(7) Subject to the general supervision and control of the Board, the Principal may:

(a) direct any member of the teaching staff, allied professionals and administrative staff, officers or other employees of the Centre to take up such assignments in connection with the teaching, examination, administration and such other activities in relation to the Centre as he may deem necessary;

(b) sanction, by re-appropriation, an amount for an unforeseen item not provided for in the annual budget of the Centre; and

(8) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the Act, the Principal may delegate any of his powers, duties or functions to any member of the teaching, allied professional or administrative staff of the Centre on such terms and conditions as he may deem fit.

9. Selection Committee and its functions‎.– (1) The Board shall constitute a Selection Committee, consisting of not less than three members, who, in the opinion of the Board, possess sound moral and financial integrity, enjoy an unquestioned and non-controversial reputation and do not have any conflict of interest with the aims and objects of the Centre, for such duration as may be determined by the Board.

(2) The Board shall nominate one of the member of the Selection Committee as Convener of the Selection Committee.

(3) The Board may, for reasons to be recorded in writing, dissolve a Selection Committee and appoint a new Selection Committee within three months of the dissolution of the Selection Committee.

(4) The Selection Committee shall invite applications for selection of suitable candidate for the post of Principal of the Centre and shall, after interviewing eligible candidates, forward its recommendations to the Board containing names of three suitable candidates for appointment of the Principal of the Centre in such manner as may be prescribed.

(5) The Selection Committee may co-opt any professional expert for carrying out the purposes of sub-section (4).

(6) The provisions of section 5 shall apply mutatis mutandis to meetings of the Selection Committee and any other committee constituted by the Board.

10. Members to act pro bono.– A member of a Selection Committee shall act pro bono and shall not receive any remuneration for any service rendered as the member of the Selection Committee.

11. Fund.– (1) There shall be a Fund to be known as the Autism School and Resource Centre Fund which shall vest in and be managed, administered and controlled by the Board and in which shall be credited all moneys received by the Centre and the Board.

(2) The Fund shall be kept in such custody and shall be utilized and regulated in such manner as may be prescribed.

(3) The Fund shall consist of:

(a) grants-in-aid made by the Government or loans advanced by the Government or the Federal Government;

(b) loans raised by the Board with the special or general sanction of the Government;

(c) aid and assistance, grants, advances, donations and other non-obligatory funds received from any person, body or entity, national or international agency;

(d) loans and advances obtained from the financial institutions with the approval of the Government; and

(e) any other income received from any other source.

(4) The Board may make any expenditure out of the Funds or grants received by it or the Centre for any purpose under the Act.

(5) The Centre and Board may receive, own and maintain a property transferred to it by the Government, any person, body or organization.

(6) The Fund shall be maintained in such form and manner as may be prescribed.

12. Maintenance of accounts.– The Centre shall maintain proper records relating to its financial affairs, including its income and expenditures and its assets and liabilities, in such form and manner as may be prescribed.

13. Budget.– The Centre shall prepare, in such manner and at such time as may be prescribed, a budget in respect of the next ensuing financial year showing the estimated receipts and expenditure of the Centre and shall submit the budget to the Board for consideration and approval and shall give effect to any modifications made therein by the Board.

14. Performance report of the Centre.– As soon as may be after the close of every financial year but not later than the last day of September next following, the Board shall submit to Government a report on the conduct of the affairs of the Centre for that year.

15. Audit.– (1) The Board shall oversee the financial management of the Centre.

(2) The accounts of the Centre shall be audited annually by the Auditor General of Pakistan and such qualified auditor or audit agency, appointed with approval of the Board as may be prescribed.

(3) Copies of the audit report shall be sent to the Board.

(4) The Board shall carry out any directive issued by the Government for rectification of audit objections.

(5) Annual accounts of the Centre shall be audited by an external Auditor duly appointed by the Board on the close of every financial year, and the audited accounts shall be presented by the Principal to the Board for approval.

(6) The Board may get conducted a third-party performance evaluation in respect of the Centre and may publish the result of the evaluation.

16. Rules.– Subject to the provisions of the Act, the Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, make rules for carrying out the purposes of the Act.

17. Regulations.– (1) Subject to the provisions of the Act and the rules, the Board may, by notification in the official Gazette, frame regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of the Act.

(2) The Government may direct the Board to modify or omit any regulation which, in its opinion, is repugnant to the provisions of the Act or rules, or which is otherwise against public policy, and the Board shall comply with such direction.

(3) In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such regulations, subject to the provisions of the Act, may provide for:

(a) the notice on which an ordinary or special meeting may be convened;

(b) the time and place at which meetings of the Board may be held;

(d) the manner in which the minutes shall be circulated and confirmed;

(e) the recruitment, tenure of office, terms and conditions of service of the Principal, teaching and allied professionals, officers and employees appointed by the Board;

(f) the delegation of administrative and financial powers to the Committee or other officers and employees of the Board;

(g) the forms and registers for keeping the accounts;

(h) the manner in which the Funds shall be disbursed;

(i) the manner in which and the time at which the annual financial statement shall be submitted to the Government for approval;

(j) the returns, statements, estimates, statistics, information or reports which may be submitted to the Government;

(k) the manner in which the accounts of the Board shall be audited;

(l) the custody in which the Fund shall be kept; and

(m) any other matter required under any of the provisions of the Act to be prescribed.

18. Public servants.– The Principal, teaching and allied professional and other employees appointed by the Board, Principal and Selection Committee shall be deemed to be public servant within the meanings of section 21 of the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860 (XLV of 1860).

19. Immunity.– No suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall lie against the Board, its Member or committees constituted by the Board, the Principal, and the officers of the Centre or any employee of the Board for the acts done, orders passed and anything done in good faith under the Act, rules or regulations.

20. Removal of difficulties.– If any difficulty arises in giving effect to any provision of the Act, the Government may give such directions, not inconsistent with the Act, as it may consider necessary for the removal of such difficulty.

[1]This Act was passed by the Punjab Assembly on 28 July 2025; assented to by the Governor of the Punjab on 05 August 2025; and was published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated 05 August 2025; pages 643-649.