Poor state of education

The state of education in Sindh keeps on crumbling, with the University of Sindh in Jamshoro calling off its MPhil and PhD programmes for the academic year 2024-25 after an alarming 98% of candidates failed the entrance exams. Out of 819 applicants across 34 MPhil and 28 PhD departments, only 10 managed to pass. This unprecedented decision has left successful candidates in limbo and revealed deep-seated issues in the province's higher education system.

The implications of this decision are far-reaching. Not only have qualified candidates been left without a clear path forward, but the university itself now faces severe financial and operational setbacks. After recently increasing annual fees for MPhil and PhD programmes by Rs330,000 to Rs580,000, the university anticipated a boost in resources to support postgraduate studies.

However, with the suspension of these programmes, both revenue and government funding are expected to decline. Furthermore, the structure of the entrance exam - comprising 50% subject-specific questions, 20% General English, 15% qualitative reasoning and 15% analytical reasoning - was intended to ensure academic rigour.

Yet, the dismal pass rate suggests a disconnect between the test criteria and the skills developed at the undergraduate level. It raises the question of whether the school system is effectively preparing students for advanced study or if the exam standards were simply misaligned with the academic capabilities of those who applied.

These students - products of local schools and colleges - are evidently entering higher education with serious gaps in their foundational knowledge and critical thinking skills, making it exceedingly difficult for them to meet even the baseline requirements for postgraduate studies.

Moving forward, Sindh University must address these systemic issues head-on. Rather than canceling the programmes outright, remedial support or alternative pathways could have been offered to near-qualifying candidates. The crisis points to a broader need for reform within Sindh's educational framework.