Following the announcement of matriculation results, an admission crisis has hit colleges across Rawalpindi Division.
Over 79,000 students have reportedly been denied admission due to sky-high merit requirements imposed by top institutions.
According to official figures, 54,723 students who passed in first, second, or third division, and 24,293 students with compartment results, have been left out.
Students are now being advised to seek admission at nearby higher secondary schools instead of traditional colleges.
In addition to academic barriers, financial hurdles have emerged.
The price of college prospectuses has increased significantly, ranging from Rs1,500 to Rs2,500. Admission fees have risen by 150pc to 250pc compared to last year, and hostel charges have also doubled, causing distress among parents.
Despite the growing student population, no new major postgraduate college has been built in Rawalpindi over the past five years.
A three-story girls' college near Pirwadhai, initiated by former Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, remains incomplete and now deteriorates due to government inaction.
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